Relation of tricuspid annular displacement and tissue Doppler imaging velocities with duration of weaning in mechanically ventilated patients with acute pulmonary edema

Abstract

Abstract Background Liberation from the ventilator is a difficult task, whereas early echocardiographic indices of weaning readiness are still lacking. The aim of this study was to test whether tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) and right ventricular (RV) systolic (Sm) and diastolic (Em & Am) tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) velocities are related with duration of weaning in mechanically ventilated patients with acute respiratory failure due to acute pulmonary edema (APE). Methods Detailed quantification of left and right ventricular systolic and diastolic function was performed at admission to the Intensive Care Unit by Doppler echocardiography, in a cohort of 32 mechanically ventilated patients with APE. TAPSE and RV TDI velocities were compared between patients with and without prolonged weaning (≥ or Results Patients with prolonged weaning (n = 12) had decreased TAPSE (14.59 ± 1.56 vs 19.13 ± 2.59 mm), Sm (8.68 ± 0.94 vs 11.62 ± 1.77 cm/sec) and Em/Am ratio (0.98 ± 0.80 vs 2.62 ± 0.67, p 2 = 0.53, beta slope = 0.76, p 2 = 0.52, beta = 0.75, p 2 = 0.57, beta = 0.32, p Conclusions We suggest that in mechanically ventilated patients with APE, low TAPSE and RV TDI velocities upon admission are associated with delayed liberation from mechanical ventilation, probably due to more severe LV heart failure.