Effect of chronic severe anemia on left ventricular performance. A study of systolic time intervals

Results of measurements of systolic time intervals (STI) in 32 patients of chronic severe anemia, before and after treatment, were studied. The patients were all without any clinical, radiological, or electrocardiographic evidence of cardiac decompensation. Data from an equal number of normal age and sex matched control subjects were also analysed. STI in individual patients showed a wide variation which precluded specific diagnostic utility. As a group, however, anemic patients showed significant differences from normal control subjects. Significant differences between pre-treatment and post-treatment values also suggest that chronic severe anemia adversely affects cardiac contractile function. Of the various STI measurements, PEP and PEP/LVET ratio were found useful parameters to be studied.