Echocardiograph alterations in asthma patients
André Luís Mancini1, Sonia Regina da Silva Carvalho, Maria do Carmo Valente de Crasto
1Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro.
Revista Portuguesa De Pneumologia
|June 6, 2008
Summary
Echocardiograms revealed abnormalities in asthma patients, with tricuspid insufficiency being common. These findings, including potential pulmonary hypertension, may not always correlate with asthma severity.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pulmonology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Asthma is a growing chronic inflammatory disease, with severe cases straining healthcare resources.
- Current treatments like inhaled corticosteroids and beta agonists have potential side effects.
- Identifying objective markers for asthma severity is crucial for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify echocardiographic abnormalities in asthma patients.
- To correlate these echocardiographic findings with asthma severity.
- To explore the utility of echocardiography in assessing asthma-related cardiac changes.
Main Methods:
- Eighty-seven outpatients with asthma were recruited from a university hospital's asthma unit.
- Participants underwent spirometry, electrocardiogram (ECG), and echocardiogram (ECO) within one month.
- Nonparametric statistical tests were used to analyze the data.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in age, disease duration, and hemoglobin saturation (SaO2) were observed between moderate and severe asthma groups (p≤0.05).
- A high prevalence of tricuspid insufficiency (41.4%) was detected in the study sample.
- Echocardiography identified various abnormalities, not all consistently linked to asthma severity.
Conclusions:
- Echocardiography can detect cardiac abnormalities in asthma patients.
- Tricuspid insufficiency is prevalent in this asthma cohort.
- Echocardiography aids in identifying pulmonary hypertension by estimating pulmonary artery pressure.
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