TTE evaluation
In this research, TTE was performed by two experienced echocardiographers who were unaware of the patients’ medical data. For all measurements, a Vivid S70N TTE device (GE-Vingmed-Ultrasound) and M5Sc (1–5 MHz) ultrasound probe was applied. The biplane Simpson method was used to measure the LV ejection fraction for each participant, while the LV measurements were determined with using the M-mode method obtained from the parasternal long-axis window. In order to record either mitral or tricuspid flow velocities, the sample volume was oriented at the tip of both valve leaflets in an apical 4-chamber window by applying the pulsed Doppler method. From this window, the peak A (atrial) flow velocity and the peak E (early) diastolic flow velocity were recorded. To obtain the LV and RV tissue Doppler variables using the pulsed wave Doppler method, the sample volume was oriented either on the mitral lateral annulus or the tricuspid lateral annulus in the apical 4‐chamber window. Both peak E’ (early diastolic) and peak A’ (late diastolic) cardiac velocities were recorded from this view. The RV MPI (myocardial performance index) was obtained using the following equation: tricuspid valve closure to opening time – RV-ET (ejection time)/RV-ET. RV mid and annular diameters were obtained at the end-diastole from the apical 4-chamber window. By accommodating a 2D cursor at the tricuspid lateral annulus on the apical 4-chamber window, the TAPSE (tricuspid annular plane excursion) was recorded for each case. The simplified Bernoulli formula was performed to determine the sPAP (systolic pulmonary artery pressure) (13).