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Significance of left atrial contractile function in asymptomatic subjects with hereditary hemochromatosis

Yukitaka Shizukuda1, Charles D Bolan, Dorothy J Tripodi

  • 1Cardiovascular Branch, Bethesda, Maryland, USA. shizukuy@nhlbi.nih.gov <shizukuy@nhlbi.nih.gov>

The American Journal of Cardiology
|September 26, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Asymptomatic hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) patients show augmented atrial contraction on echocardiography, suggesting early subclinical diastolic dysfunction. This finding may precede detectable left ventricular relaxation abnormalities in HH.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Genetics
  • Internal Medicine

Background:

  • Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) is linked to cardiac complications.
  • Diastolic dysfunction is a known cardiac manifestation in HH patients.
  • Early detection of cardiac changes in asymptomatic HH is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate left ventricular (LV) diastolic function in asymptomatic individuals with HH.
  • To identify early echocardiographic markers of cardiac involvement in HH.

Main Methods:

  • Echocardiography with comprehensive diastolic evaluations was performed.
  • Forty-three asymptomatic HH patients (C282Y homozygosity) and 21 controls were studied.
  • Patients were categorized into newly diagnosed and chronically treated groups.

Main Results:

  • No significant Doppler left ventricular relaxation abnormalities were found in HH groups.
  • Augmented atrial contractile function was observed in HH subjects compared to controls.
  • Overall left ventricular systolic function remained preserved in all HH groups.

Conclusions:

  • Augmented atrial contraction may be an early echocardiographic sign of diastolic dysfunction in asymptomatic HH.
  • This finding could indicate subclinical left ventricular relaxation abnormalities.
  • Early cardiac screening in HH is warranted.

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