[Study of left ventricular function in cerebral thrombosis with pulsed Doppler echocardiography]

To evaluate the cardiac dysfunction of the cerebral infarction (cerebral thrombosis) patients in the chronic period, non-invasive studies were performed on 45 cerebral infarction patients (CI group: 25 males and 16 females, mean age 64.1 y). Forty hospitalized patient without cerebral infarction served as controls (non-CI group: 23 males and 19 females, mean age 64.8 y). The CI and non-CI group were divided into two sub-groups: patients with a past history of hypertension (HT) and without (NT). In each sub-group, the cardiac functions were compared between CI and non-CI by M-mode and Doppler echocardiography. In echocardiography, research based on the premise that the function of the left ventricle can be divided into preload (EDVi), afterload (SVR), contractility (EF, mVcf, SBP/ESV) and distensibility (E/A). On results show that there were no significant differences in preload, afterload and contractility of the left ventricle between CI and non-CI group in each HT and NT sub group. However, a significant difference was demonstrated in the diastolic function the left ventricle between the two groups in the HT (p = 0.007) and NT (p = 0.04) sub-groups. In conclusion, left ventricle diastolic function was deteriorated in cerebral infarction patients although systolic function not deteriorated. Because diastolic dysfunction may be caused by existing latent heart failure and/or silent myocardial ischemia, echocardiographic study is useful for early detection of left ventricle impairments in cerebral infarction patients.