Blood metal concentrations and cardiac structure and function in total joint arthroplasty patients

There is concern regarding potential long-term cardiotoxicity with systemic distribution of metals in total joint arthroplasty (TJA) patients.

To determine the association of commonly used implant metals with echocardiographic measures in TJA patients.

The study comprised 110 TJA patients who had a recent history of high chromium, cobalt or titanium concentrations. Patients underwent two-dimensional, three-dimensional, Doppler and speckle-strain transthoracic echocardiography and a blood draw to measure metal concentrations. Age and sex-adjusted linear and logistic regression models were used to examine the association of metal concentrations (exposure) with echocardiographic measures (outcome).

Higher cobalt concentrations were associated with increased left ventricular end-diastolic volume (estimate 5.09; 95%CI: 0.02-10.17) as well as left atrial and right ventricular dilation, particularly in men but no changes in cardiac function. Higher titanium concentrations were associated with a reduction in left ventricle global longitudinal strain (estimate 0.38; 95%CI: 0.70 to 0.06) and cardiac index (estimate 0.08; 95%CI, -0.15 to -0.01).

Elevated cobalt and titanium concentrations may be associated with structural and functional cardiac changes in some patients. Longitudinal studies are warranted to better understand the systemic effects of metals in TJA patients.