Assessment of Right Ventricular Function After Acute Pulmonary Embolism: a Comparison of Speckle Tracking Strain and Conventional Echocardiographic Parameters

Launched by ASSIUT UNIVERSITY · Jul 30, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how well the right side of the heart is working after a person has an acute pulmonary embolism (PE), which is a sudden blockage in the lungs’ blood vessels. The researchers are comparing two different ultrasound methods to measure heart function: traditional measures and a newer technique called speckle tracking strain. These tests will be done within 24 hours after a PE diagnosis to see which method better assesses the heart’s condition and helps predict how patients will do during their hospital stay and in the 30 days after.

Adults aged 18 and older who have a confirmed acute PE through a special lung scan may be eligible to join, as long as they don’t have certain other heart or lung problems, like long-term right heart issues, previous heart disease, or poor heart pumping function. Participants will have an ultrasound of their heart within a day of diagnosis, and their care team will track important outcomes such as how long they stay in the hospital or ICU, whether they need medications to support their blood pressure or breathing machines, and survival during their hospital stay and up to 30 days afterward. This study aims to help doctors better understand heart function after PE and improve patient care.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Adults ≥18 years.
• • 2. Confirmed acute PE (via CT pulmonary angiography).(4,6)
• • 3. Echocardiography performed within 24 hours of diagnosis.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Pre-existing significant RV dysfunction (e.g., due to chronic pulmonary hypertension, cor pulmonale or congenital heart disease).
• • 2. History of coronary artery disease.
• • 3. Impaired LV systolic function, ejection fraction \<50%.
• • 4. Moderate to severe valvular heart disease.
• • 5. Prior document of an episode of pulmonary embolism.
• • 6. Poor acoustic window.
• • 7. Hemodynamic instability