Myocardial dysfunction in rheumatoid arthritis: a controlled tissue-Doppler echocardiography study
Christophe Meune1, Karim Wahbi, Noémie Assous
1Department of Cardiology, Paris Descartes University, Medical School, Cochin Hospital, Paris, France.
The Journal of Rheumatology
|September 6, 2007
Summary
Tissue-Doppler echocardiography (TDE) reveals impaired diastolic function in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, even when conventional tests appear normal. This finding highlights TDE
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Rheumatology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Heart failure contributes to excess mortality in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.
- Early detection of cardiac dysfunction in RA is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the sensitivity and accuracy of tissue-Doppler echocardiography (TDE) for assessing myocardial contractility in RA patients.
- To identify subclinical cardiac abnormalities in RA.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study comparing 27 RA patients with normal cardiac exams to 27 controls.
- Conventional echocardiography and tissue-Doppler echocardiography (TDE) to measure systolic and diastolic strain rate (SR).
Main Results:
- RA patients showed increased left ventricular mass and a trend for left atrial enlargement compared to controls.
- Systolic function and conventional diastolic measures (E/A ratio) were similar between groups.
- Diastolic strain rate (SR) was significantly reduced in RA patients, indicating impaired diastolic function.
Conclusions:
- TDE can identify impaired diastolic function in RA patients that conventional echocardiography may miss.
- TDE is a sensitive tool for detecting early cardiac changes in RA.
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