Comparison of transesophageal echocardiographic assessment of right and left atrial appendage functions

Objectives: To define right atrial appendage functional parameters and comparing them with those of left atrial appendage.
Methods: A consecutive series of 154 patients (76 males and 78 females) with mean age of 42 years were referred for transesophageal echocardiography. Ejection and filling velocities of right and left atrial appendages were measured at 120 and 70 degrees respectively. The left and right ventricles size and function, right atrial size, tricuspid regurgitation severity, and pulmonary artery systolic pressure were prospectively measured and calculated during transthoracic echocardiography.
Results: Mean right and left atrial appendages velocities were 42 ± 18 cm/s and 50 ± 26 cm/s respectively (PV<0.001). Statistically significant positive association (PV<0.001) was found between right atrial appendage velocity and right ventricle ejection fraction and statistically negative relationship was observed between right atrial appendage velocity and smoke pattern (PV<0.001). Also, the results suggested marginally significant associations between right atrial appendage velocity and right atrium size (PV = 0.05) and pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PV = 0.07).
It was also found that right atrial appendage measures were relatively independent on right ventricle size and tricuspid regurgitation severity.
Conclusion: Our study showed right atrial appendage measures were relatively dependent on right ventricle function, right atrium size and pulmonary artery systolic pressure and relatively independent on right ventricle size and tricuspid regurgitation severity. In patients with right atrium smoky pattern right atrial appendage velocity was significantly reduced.