1134 Right ventricular function and its relation to pulmonary artery stiffness in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

Background: Pulmonary hypertension and right heart failure are severe complications of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The potential mechanisms of these complications are multifactorial and may include increased pulmonary artery stiffness (PAS). In this study, we tested the hypothesis suggesting that the PAS is increased in patients with SLE, which may determine right ventricular myocardial performance index (RV MPI) as an echocardiographic parameter summarizing right ventricular function in these patients. Methods: We studied 24 patients with SLE with no cardiac symptoms (age: 33.6±8.4 years) and 24 normal control subjects by echocardiography. RV MPI, defined as the sum of isovolumetric contraction and relaxation time divided by ejection time, was measured by using Doppler echocardiography. To estimate PAS, echocardiographic records of the pulmonary flow trace were obtained and maximal frequency shift of pulmonary flow divided by acceleration time. Correlation between RV MPI and the PAS, right ventricular ejection fraction, age, heart rate, body surface area and the duration of disease were determined by linear regression analysis. Results: Patients versus control subjects had increased PAS and RV MPI. In linear regression analysis, RV MPI was significantly correlated with PAS and the duration of disease (r=0.62, p<0.005 and r=0.53, p<0.01). Conclusions: These results suggest that the increased PAS may be an important pathogenetic factor, which may contribute the RV dysfunction in patients with SLE.