Age is an independent predictor of right ventricular geometry and function in males only.

Background: Right ventricular (RV) size and function are important predictors of outcome in heart and lung diseases. However, their physiological determinants in healthy subjects remain to be determined. Three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) allows a safe and accurate assessment of RV volumes and function. Methods: A complete 2D, Doppler and 3DE was performed in 533 healthy subjects (age range 13-90 yrs) prospectively recruited at 3 Institutions. RV volumes were measured using 4D RV function 4.0 (TomTec, Imaging systems, D).Results: Physiological and echo data are reported in Table. RV parameters were significantly different between genders. With aging, RV end-diastolic (EDV) and endsystolic (ESV) volumes decreased significantly (r= -0.33 and r= -20, respectively, p,0.0001) whereas ejection fraction increased (r= 0.28, p,0.0001). At multivariable regression analysis (including age, height, weight, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate), age, weight and heart rate were selected as independent determinants of EDV and ESV in males (R2= 0.23 and R2= 0.27, respectively). Weight and height, but not age, were selected as determinants of RV volumes in females (R2= 0.20, R2= 0.15, respectively). Conclusions: There are significant differences in RV geometry and function between males and females that are not entirely explained by body size. Age is a determinant of RV volumes only in males.