Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 4, 2026
Author Spotlight: Evaluating Traditional Chinese Therapy for Ankylosing Spondylitis in Mice
Published on: October 27, 2023
Echocardiographic Findings in Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis: A Case-Control Study
A A Younis1, F I Abdulla2, Qaa Tawfeeq3
1Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Mosul, Mosul, Iraq.
Insights
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients show subtle cardiac changes. Echocardiography reveals impaired diastolic function, suggesting potential minor cardiac involvement despite normal conventional parameters.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Rheumatology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory condition.
- Cardiovascular involvement in AS is recognized but not fully understood.
- Echocardiographic abnormalities in AS patients require further characterization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate echocardiographic findings in AS patients.
- To compare cardiac parameters between AS patients and healthy controls.
- To identify subclinical cardiac abnormalities in AS.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 55 AS patients and 29 healthy controls.
- Transthoracic echocardiography utilized, including 2D, M-mode, pulse wave Doppler, and tissue Doppler imaging.
- Assessment included left ventricular function, pericardial effusion, pulmonary artery pressure, valvular function, and aortic root diameter.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in conventional echocardiographic parameters between groups.
- AS patients exhibited significantly lower E/A ratio and E wave velocities.
- Reduced lateral and septal e' velocities were observed in AS patients, indicating impaired diastolic function.
Conclusions:
- Conventional echocardiographic findings and LVDD frequency were similar between AS patients and controls.
- Specific diastolic function parameters were significantly impaired in AS patients.
- These findings suggest potential, albeit minor, cardiac involvement in AS.
Background:
Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that may involve the cardiovascular system, yet echocardiographic cardiac abnormalities remain underrecognized and incompletely characterized.
Aim:
The purpose of this study is to assess echocardiographic abnormalities in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients and to compare the results with a control group of apparently healthy individuals who were matched for age and sex.
Methods:
Fifty-five AS patients and 29 healthy controls participated in a case-control study. The two groups were evaluated using transthoracic echocardiography including two-dimensional and M mode echocardiography, along with pulse wave Doppler and tissue Doppler imaging. All the participants were assessed for their left ventricular (LV) function, pericardial effusion, pulmonary artery pressure, any valvular involvement, and aortic root diameter.
Results:
Using conventional echocardiographic parameters, there were no appreciable changes between the patients and controls. When comparing AS patients to controls, some diastolic function parameters were significantly lower. In patients with AS, the E/A ratio and the E wave velocities were lower (P = 0.02 and 0.03, respectively). Patients with AS had considerably reduced lateral and septal a' and e' velocities. Furthermore, in comparison to controls, a greater proportion of AS patients had reduced septal e' velocity (P = 0.03) and lateral e' velocity (P ≤ 0.001). Nevertheless, just one AS patient had left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD).
Conclusion:
This study showed that while conventional echocardiographic findings and LVDD frequency did not differ significantly between those with AS and the healthy participants, some diastolic function parameters were significantly impaired in AS patients, which might suggest the possibility of minor cardiac involvement in those with AS.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast,...
01:03Finding the Center of Gravity
01:30Respiratory System Abnormal Finding I: Inspection and Percussion
Inspection Findings
During an inspection, several findings may suggest the presence of respiratory distress or disease. Pursed-lip breathing, where exhalation is slowed by...
01:13Finding Electric Potential From Electric Field
01:29Cardiovascular System Abnormal Findings I: Inspection and Palpation
Abnormal findings observed during an inspection
01:24Finding Volume Using Cross-Sectional Area