Evaluation of systolic and diastolic functions of right ventricle, right atrial dimension and pulmonary arterial pressures in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

Introduction and Purpose: Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) is a frequent pathology related to taking naps during daytime and chronic fatigue, and may cause morbidity and mortality due to the accidents and/or cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of our study is to evaluate right ventricular (RV) systolic and diastolic functions, right atrial (RA) dimensions and pulmonary arterial pressures by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in patients with moderate or severe OSAS, and compare the data with the patients not having OSAS. Method: Total 55 patients between 30-80 years old are involved in this study. 40 of them had at least one-night polysomnograhic analysis in Sleep Center and moderate or severe OSAS was diagnosed; and 15 of them were selected as control cases with ?Epworth Sleepiness Scale? 10 among the patients who applied to cardiology policlinic. TTE was applied to all patients; RV dimensions and anterior wall thickness, RA diameter and area, RV systolic and diastolic functions, systolic and mean pulmonary artery pressures were analyzed by M-mode, two- dimensional imaging, color Doppler and tissue Doppler. Results: We proved that in OSAS group, RV systolic and diastolic functions were deteriorated, systolic and mean pulmonary artery pressures were higher compared to the control group, and RA end-systolic diameter and area were increased. Conclusion: According to the results, we considered that together with newly used routine techniques such as tissue Doppler, TTE is an important and valuable method to analyze RV functions; besides more expensive and/or more complicated methods such as radionuclide ventriculography, right heart catheterization or MRI.