Evaluation of left ventricle function by strain imaging in patients with familial Mediterranean fever

Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is a hereditary inflammatory disease characterized by recurrent fever and serositis. We aimed to evaluate cardiac involvement in FMF patients by using strain and strain rate echocardiographic imaging method in this study.

Echocardiographic evaluation was performed in 23 FMF patients and 22 healthy controls. FMF diagnosis was based on Tell-Hashomer diagnostic criteria. Conventional echocardiography, tissue Doppler echocardiography and longitudinal two-dimensional (2D) strain and strain rate imaging were performed in patient and control groups.

There were no significant differences between patient and control groups in terms of 2D, M-mode, conventional Doppler and tissue Doppler velocities. Left ventricle strain value was significantly lower in five out of eight segments in FMF patients than controls and left ventricle strain rate value was significantly lower in three out of eight segments in FMF patients than controls. Mean left ventricle strain value was significantly lower in FMF patients than controls (-21.1 ± 2.2% vs. -23.8 ± 2.2%; P < 0.001). No significant difference was noted between FMF patients and controls in mean left ventricle strain rate value (-1.61 ± 0.23 vs. -1.58 ± 0.21; P = 0.48).

We have shown that although conventional echocardiography and tissue Doppler velocity data were similar, strain, strain rate values were significantly lower in FMF patients than controls. We know that strain and strain rate imaging method might be useful for evaluating subclinical cardiac involvement in case of normal conventional and tissue Doppler velocity data in patients with FMF.