951 Tissue doppler and deformation imaging may detect latent left ventricular systolic dysfunction in b-thalassemia patients

Abstract

s S163 Eur J Echocardiography Abstracts Supplement, December 2006 and since the new tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) technique has shown to unmask systolic deterioration in other groups of patients, i.e. diabetes and aortic stenosis, we wanted to investigate if OI patients also had impaired systolic function by TDI. Methods: 28 patients, 47±10 (SD) years of age, from the Norwegian Survey of Adults with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, were included and compared to 28 sex and age matched healthy individuals, 47±10 years (p=ns), with normal LV function. Standard and TDI echocardiography were performed. From the TDI images peak systolic and diastolic tissue velocities were measured in basal segments of septaland lateralwalls and averaged. Peak systolic strain, reflecting LV systolic tissue deformation and thus LV contractility, was derived from the tissue velocity data. All echocardiographic data was blinded prior to measurements. Results: By standard 2-D echocardiography LVEF was similar in patients with OI and controls, 57±7 vs 56±7% (p=ns), as was the transmitral pulsed Doppler early (E) and atrial (A) filling waves, and the ratio between E and A as a measure for LV diastolic function. Peak systolictissue velocity and strain, however, were decreased in patients with OI as compared to controls, 4.4±1.0 vs 5.7±1.4 cm/s (p<0.001) and 18.6±3.1 vs 21.0±3.2% (p<0.01), respectively. Moreover, early diastolic peak tissue velocity (E’) was also decreased in the OI group as compared to the controls, 6.2±1.9 vs 7.6±2.7 cm/s (p<0.5). Atrial diastolic peak tissue velocity (A’) and the ratio between E’ and A’, however, were similar between the two groups. Conclusion: Patients with OI seem to have reduced LV systolic function as measured by TVI and strain. The reduction of E’ in these patients might indicate an additional impairment of LV relaxation.