Incidence of valvulopathy in Hodgkin-disease patients in long-term complete remission

Abstract

To study the occurrence of valvulopathies after treatment in Hodgkin's disease patients. 124 Hodgkin's disease patients in complete remission for at least 1 year were echocardiographically examined. Abnormal finding was observed in 48/124 (38.4%) of patients, all of them presented with regurgitation, no stenosis was observed. Regurgitation of grade I or II was recorded in most cases. We have found single valvulopathy in 25/48 (52.1%) of patients, and multiple valvulopathy in 23/48 (47.9%) of patients. In most cases (78.7%) the valvulopathy was detected in left heart. Among these 48 patients the ratio of females was significantly higher than those of males, and also the ratio of the patients in early phase compared with those in late phase. We could detect vitium mostly in those patients who had mediastinal irradiation. The combined treatment, including anthracycline therapy, did not increase the frequency of vitium. The occurrence of valvulopathy is frequent in Hodgkin's disease patients, particularly in patients treated by radiation. This is the reason why Hodgkin's disease patients should be examined regularly with echocardiography. These patients with valvulopathy need treatment adjusted to their state of health, and where possible, the complications should be prevented. In the future, when planning of the radiotherapy mediastinal irradiation of the Hodgkin's disease patients their heart protection from radiation should be taken into account.