Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 18, 2026

High-frequency High-resolution Echocardiography: First Evidence on Non-invasive Repeated Measure of Myocardial Strain, Contractility, and Mitral Regurgitation in the Ischemia-reperfused Murine Heart
11:50

High-frequency High-resolution Echocardiography: First Evidence on Non-invasive Repeated Measure of Myocardial Strain, Contractility, and Mitral Regurgitation in the Ischemia-reperfused Murine Heart

Published on: July 9, 2010

Myocardial left ventricular dysfunction in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: new insights from tissue

Sebastian J Buss1, David Wolf, Grigorios Korosoglou

  • 1Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pulmology, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany. sebastian.buss@med.uni-heidelberg.de

The Journal of Rheumatology
|December 4, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients show impaired left ventricular (LV) function on advanced echocardiography, even without symptoms. New imaging techniques detect subclinical heart disease in SLE earlier than standard methods.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Rheumatology
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) significantly increases cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
  • Routine imaging often underestimates cardiovascular involvement in SLE patients.
  • Early detection of cardiac dysfunction is crucial for managing SLE patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate novel echocardiographic techniques, including tissue Doppler (TDI), strain rate (SRR), and strain (SRI) imaging.
  • To detect subclinical left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in asymptomatic SLE patients.
  • To compare the efficacy of new imaging modalities against standard echocardiography in SLE.

Main Methods:

  • Sixty-seven SLE patients and 40 healthy controls underwent standard echocardiography, TDI, SRR, and SRI.
  • Patients were assessed for symptoms of heart failure or angina.
  • Disease activity was quantified using ECLAM and SLEDAI scores.

Main Results:

  • Despite normal standard echocardiograms, SLE patients exhibited impaired LV systolic and diastolic function via TDI, SRR, and SRI compared to controls.
  • Elevated SLE disease activity correlated with reduced LV longitudinal function measured by SRR and SRI.
  • Newer imaging modalities revealed significant subclinical myocardial abnormalities in SLE patients.

Conclusions:

  • Systemic lupus erythematosus is linked to significant subclinical impairment of LV longitudinal function.
  • Advanced echocardiographic techniques like TDI, SRR, and SRI are superior to standard methods for detecting early cardiac involvement in SLE.
  • These findings highlight the importance of advanced imaging for proactive cardiovascular risk management in SLE.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Transthoracic Speckle Tracking Echocardiography for the Quantitative Assessment of Left Ventricular Myocardial Deformation09:05

Transthoracic Speckle Tracking Echocardiography for the Quantitative Assessment of Left Ventricular Myocardial Deformation

Published on: October 20, 2016

Related Concept Videos

Rheumatic Heart Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies01:22

Rheumatic Heart Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies

The key clinical manifestations of Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) include several distinct cardiac symptoms.Carditis, a hallmark of acute rheumatic fever, involves inflammation of the heart's endocardium, myocardium, and pericardium. Chronic RHD often results from recurrent episodes of carditis. Its symptoms include the following:Murmurs are caused by valvular damage, especially to the mitral and aortic valves. Mitral stenosis or regurgitation is common, with characteristic heart murmurs...
Cardiomyopathy II: Dilated Cardiomyopathy01:30

Cardiomyopathy II: Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Dilated cardiomyopathy, or DCM, is a progressive myocardial disorder characterized by ventricular chamber dilation and contractile dysfunction.EtiologyVarious factors can cause DCM, including hypertension and heavy alcohol intake, which contribute to the weakening and enlargement of the heart muscle. Viral infections, such as Coxsackievirus B, adenoviruses, and influenza, can lead to DCM by causing inflammation and damage to heart tissue. Certain chemotherapeutic agents, including daunorubicin,...
Cardiomyopathy IV: Restrictive Cardiomyopathy01:29

Cardiomyopathy IV: Restrictive Cardiomyopathy

Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) is a rare heart muscle disease characterized by impaired ventricular filling due to stiffened ventricular walls, leading to significant diastolic dysfunction.EtiologyRestrictive cardiomyopathy can arise from both inherited and acquired diseases, many of which are systemic. It is categorized into four main types: infiltrative, storage, non-infiltrative, and endomyocardial diseases.Infiltrative diseases, such as amyloidosis, lead to RCM by depositing amyloid...
Cardiomyopathy III: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy01:29

Cardiomyopathy III: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or HCM, is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder characterized by asymmetric left ventricular hypertrophy without ventricular dilation. It is more common in men and is typically diagnosed in young, athletic adults.EtiologyHCM is primarily genetic and is caused by mutations in genes encoding sarcomeric proteins. Researchers have identified over 1400 mutations across at least 11 different genes. Among these, the most frequently occurring mutations are found in the...