Abstract

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate left and right ventricular functions with different echocardiographic methods in asymptomatic patients with diffuse scleroderma (SSc).

Patients and Methods: Twenty diffuse SSc outpatients, asymptomatic with regard to cardiac symptoms and twenty healthy control subjects were enrolled. Conventional left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) echocardiographic measurements, pulsed wave tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) and myocardial performance indexes (MPI) were evaluated.

Results: Both left (LV early to atrial peak velocity ratio: p<0.02, LV isovolumic relaxation time: p<0.03, LV deceleration time: p<0.02) and right ventricle (RV early to atrial peak velocity ratio: p<0.02) diastolic functions were significantly reduced in SSc group while the parameters assessing LV systolic function were similar in both groups. Pulmonary artery pressure was significantly higher in 25% of SSc patients (31.1±5.2 and 24.7±2.7 mmHg, p<0.001). Although mitral and tricuspid annular systolic velocities with TDI (Sm, St) were similar between two groups, obtained diastolic functions showed a decrease in SSc patients. Tei index was statistically higher in SSc group (left ventricle MPI (LV-MPI): p<0.03 and right ventricle MPI (RV-MPI): p<0.007).

Conclusion: Diastolic dysfunction of both ventricles with different echocardiographic methods was observed in diffuse SSc patients even without cardiac symptoms.