BACKGROUND: Tricuspid regurgitation velocity (TRV) is the most widely used parameter by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in the evaluation of patients with suspected pulmonary hypertension (PH). OBJECTIVES: To explore the physiologic range of TRV in healthy adults and to investigate its clinical determinants. METHODS: In the first part of the study, 614 healthy individuals (age 45.7+/- 14.7 years, 60.26% women) were prospectively assessed by TTE. In the second part, a pooled meta-analysis of 16 already published studies with TRV values in healthy subjects (n = 981) was performed. Statistical analysis included the calculation of 95% quantiles for defining reference ranges. RESULTS: In the prospectively enrolled cohort, mean TRV was 2.01 +/- 0.29 m/s (5-95% CI 1.987-2.033 m/s). It was significantly but weakly positively correlated with age, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, left atrial volume and negative with mitral inflow E/A ratio. No significant differences were found between males and females. The prospectively enrolled data revealed similar values to the literature-based datasets resulting in a mean TRV of 1.96 m/s (95% CI 1.91-2.02 m/s) and a 95% quantile of 2.55 m/s. CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest dataset to describe reference ranges of TRV and their clinical determinants in healthy adults years. The determined cut-off value of 2.55 m/s of this study has to be confirmed in specific pathologies such as patients at risk of PH.
- Marra, A. M.
- Naeije, R.
- Ferrara, F.
- Vriz, O.
- Stanziola, A. A.
- D'Alto, M.
- D'Andrea, A.
- Carannante, L.
- Eichstaedt, C. A.
- Cittadini, A.
- Benjamin, N.
- Grunig, E.
- Bossone, E.
Keywords
- *Doppler-Echocardiography
- *Healthy subjects
- *Reference ranges
- *Tricuspid regurgitation velocity
