Children with refractory epilepsy demonstrate alterations in myocardial strain

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Neurology
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that can affect multiple organ systems.
• Myocardial mechanics in children with epilepsy are not well understood.
• Refractory epilepsy may be associated with cardiac dysfunction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate myocardial mechanics in children with refractory epilepsy.
• To compare cardiac function between children with epilepsy and healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• Echocardiography with speckle tracking was used to assess longitudinal and circumferential strain in 41 children with refractory epilepsy and matched controls.
• Parental surveys and chart reviews collected data on seizure history, cardiac risk factors, and antiepileptic drug use.
• Conventional echocardiographic measurements and tissue Doppler imaging were also performed.

Main Results:

• Children with epilepsy exhibited impaired longitudinal and circumferential strain, indicating reduced myocardial deformation.
• Shortening fraction was higher, while mitral valve E wave inflow velocity and tissue Doppler lateral E' wave were decreased in patients compared to controls.
• No significant differences were found in ejection fraction or associations between cardiac measurements and epilepsy characteristics.

Conclusions:

• Children with refractory epilepsy have impaired systolic ventricular strain compared to controls.
• These myocardial mechanical changes are not correlated with epilepsy history or antiepileptic drug exposure.
• Further research is necessary to elucidate the clinical significance of these findings.