Impact of Asthma Phenotypes on Myocardial Performance and Pulmonary Hypertension in Children and Adolescents With Moderate to Severe Persistent Asthma

Background: Asthma is characterized by chronic inflammation and remodeling of pulmonary vessels and airway wall resulting in pulmonary hypertension (PH). Increased afterload on right ventricle (RV) myocardium leads to RV diastolic dysfunction (RVDD). Echocardiography is an excellent tool to detect these changes early. Using echocardiography, we assessed the impact of clinical asthma phenotypes on myocardial performance and PH in children with asthma. Materials and methods: Sixty children with moderate or severe persistent asthma and 60 age and gender-matched healthy controls were enrolled. As per clinical phenotypes, children with asthma were classified into early wheezers (n = 30) and late wheezers (n = 30). Pulmonary function tests (PFT) and echocardiography, both conventional and pulse wave (PW), were performed. Results: Children with asthma had significant RVDD and higher incidence (33%) of PH. Myocardial performance index (MPI) was poor in asthmatics, 0.41 (0.04) compared to controls, 0.38 (0.03). Measures for PH such as tricuspid regurgitation (TR) gradient, TR velocity, and pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) were significantly higher in cases. Among clinical asthma phenotypes, there was no difference in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) between early 64.3% (4.6) and late wheezers 65.6% (4.4). MPI was better in late wheezers at 0.41 (0.05) than in early wheezers at 0.40 (0.03). TR gradient, TR velocity, and PAP were significantly higher in early wheezers. The odds ratio for the development of PH was 0.74 (CI 0.25 - 2.17), and for the development of RVDD was 3.2 (CI 0.77 - 13.8), both in favor of early wheezers. Conclusion: Children with asthma, particularly early-onset wheezers are at increased risk of developing PH and RVDD. We suggest annual screening by conventional echocardiography and pulse wave Doppler imaging for early diagnosis and timely initiation of management.