Association of echocardiographic parameters of right ventricular remodeling and myocardial performance with modified task force criteria in adolescents with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND: The usefulness of echocardiographic indices, including those already used by modified Task Force Criteria (mTFC), and others such as strain imaging, to identify arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) in adolescence is not well established. METHODS: Echocardiograms from 120 adolescents investigated for ARVC (13±4 years) were retrospectively analyzed. According to the mTFC, patients were classified into definite (n=38), borderline (n=39), or possible (n=43) ARVC. Results were compared with 35 healthy controls. mTFC echocardiographic parameters were analyzed, as well as comprehensive right ventricular (RV) and left ventricular assessment of function including parameters not included in mTFC such as pulsed-wave tissue Doppler and RV 2-dimensional speckle strain. RESULTS: mTFC parameters indexed for body surface area were significantly more abnormal in patients with possible, borderline, or definite ARVC compared with controls for parasternal long-axis view of the RV outflow tract. RV end-diastolic diameters were significantly larger in patients versus controls, a difference that increased with likelihood of ARVC. Left ventricular ejection fraction, tricuspid annular peak systolic excursion, and systolic and diastolic pulsed-wave tissue Doppler imaging indices were similar to controls for all groups. Average and segmental RV peak longitudinal systolic strain was significantly lower in patients with definite ARVC (−21±4%) and disease subgroups versus controls (−25±3%). Multivariable risk analysis showed that reduced RV strain was significantly associated with ARVC diagnosis and its likelihood (multivariable odds ratio [95% CI]=1.23 [1.1–1.37]; P<0.001) as was increased end-diastolic diameter at the apical third of the RV (multivariable odds ratio [95% CI]=1.51 [1.33–1.72]; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: mTFC echocardiographic criteria are significantly different between patients and controls and between the different diagnostic groups. However, in our cohort, current echocardiographic mTFC are not met by the majority of adolescent ARVC patients, particularly when indexed to body surface area. Measurement of RV apical dimensions and strain may increase the diagnostic yield of echocardiography for ARVC.