Eccentricity Index Identifies the Severity of Left to Right Shunt in Patients With Secundum Type Atrial Septal Defect

Background: One of the inclusion criteria for applying atrial septal defect (ASD) closing procedure is an increased pulmonary-tosystemic blood flow ratio (Qp/Qs). Eccentricity index (EI) is associated with ventricular dysfunction in patients with pulmonary hypertension. Objectives: As ASD patients have overload volume and pressure in their pulmonary arteries, we tried to test this hypothesis if EI and Qp/Qs ratio are possibly associated. Patients andMethods: This study is a correlation study. 64 patients with primary diagnosis of secundum type ASD enrolled in this study and echocardiography was performed for all of them. Data were analyzed by SPSS as well as descriptive and statistical tests. Results: Bivariate correlation test showed that there was a positive and significant association between Qp/Qs ratio and EI (r = 0.502, P = 0.001). Linear regression analysis showed that there was a linear association between Qp/Qs ratio and EI (Beta = 1.765, P = 0.001). Conclusions: We found that EI and Qp/Qs ratio are significantly and positively associated and Qp/Qs ratio can be easily estimated by measuring EI in secundum type ASD patients.