Cheung EW, Liang XC, Lam WW et al.
University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong,People’s Republic of China.
Am J Cardiol 2009;104:1264–70.
Editor’s note: With increasing follow-up data available from adolescents and adults with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), it has become apparent that not only does the right ventricle suffer from the adverse effects of pulmonary regurgitation, but co-existing left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is also seen. The nature of this ventricular–ventricular interaction is the subject of much debate and investigation. This study by Cheung et al. from Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China, examined the impact of right ventricular (RV) dilation on LV performance in adult patients with TOF. A total of 23 patients who had undergone surgical repair of TOF were followed and, along with 23 age-matched controls, underwent detailed echocardiography to assess RV and LV performance. Cardiac magnetic resonance and formal exercise testing were performed in the TOF patients only. Detailed tissue Doppler imaging and speckle-tracking echocardiography were used to assess regional ventricular function.