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Published on: October 27, 2023
Diastolic left ventricular dysfunction in ankylosing spondylitis--a systematic review and meta-analysis
Sjoerd C Heslinga1, Carlo J Van Dongen2, Thelma C Konings3
1Department of Rheumatology, Reade, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Rheumatology, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Internal Medicine, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Insights
Ankylosing spondylitis patients show increased diastolic left ventricular dysfunction. This condition, a precursor to heart failure, is more prevalent in AS patients than in controls, indicating a higher cardiovascular risk.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Rheumatology
- Echocardiography
Background:
- Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is linked to higher mortality, primarily from cardiovascular disease.
- Diastolic left ventricular (LV) dysfunction precedes heart failure and contributes to morbidity and mortality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and determine the prevalence of diastolic LV dysfunction in patients diagnosed with AS.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a systematic literature search for echocardiographic studies on diastolic LV function in AS patients.
- Included 11 studies that met the selection criteria from an initial pool of 166.
Main Results:
- AS patients exhibited impaired diastolic LV function, evidenced by a worse E/A ratio, prolonged deceleration time, and prolonged isovolumetric relaxation time compared to controls.
- Studies combining these parameters confirmed a higher prevalence of diastolic LV dysfunction in AS patients (ranging from 9% to 45%) versus controls (0% to 18%).
Conclusions:
- Findings support an elevated risk of diastolic LV dysfunction in individuals with AS.
- Further large-scale research is necessary to quantify this risk and understand its clinical significance in AS management.
Objectives:
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is associated with increased mortality largely due to cardiovascular disease. Diastolic left ventricular (LV) dysfunction serves as a precursor to chronic heart failure and may cause morbidity and mortality. A systematic literature search was conducted to determine the prevalence of diastolic LV dysfunction in patients with AS.
Methods:
We identified all echocardiographic studies investigating diastolic LV function in patients with AS. The initial search yielded 166 studies of which 11 met the inclusion criteria.
Results:
Compared to control subjects, AS patients had a worse E/A ratio [mean difference -0.13 m/s (95% CI: -0.19 to -0.07)], a prolonged deceleration time [mean difference 13.90 ms (95% CI: 6.03-21.78)], and a prolonged mean isovolumetric relaxation time [mean difference 8.06 ms (95% CI: 3.23-12.89)], all suggestive of diastolic LV dysfunction. The best way to establish diastolic LV dysfunction, however, is to combine E/A ratio, deceleration time, and isovolumetric relaxation time. The latter has been done in 3 studies, all reaffirming an increased prevalence rate of diastolic LV dysfunction in AS patients as compared with control subjects, i.e., 9% versus 0%, 30% versus 12%, and 45% versus 18%, respectively.
Conclusions:
Our observations support the current evidence base for an increased risk of diastolic LV dysfunction in AS. However, larger studies are needed to investigate the exact magnitude of diastolic LV dysfunction and its clinical relevance in patients with AS.
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