The impact of chronic alcohol overuse on right ventricular myocardial strain

Abstract

Abstract Background The mechanisms and detail effects of alcohol cardiac toxicity are not clear. Purpose We aimed, to evaluate the relationship between the consumed alcohol dose and severity of right ventricle (RV) myocardial injury in patients overusing alcohol. Methods We collected a group of patients chronically overusing alcohol (ALC- alcohol overusers) and matched to them control group of abstainers (CG-control group). Clinical and echocardiography data have been obtained and statistical analysis performed. RV strain data were obtained from free wall (RVGS). Strain data were presented as absolute values. Results Group with available and feasible data of RV function consisted of 53 ALC patients, 75% men, 50±12 years old, and 33 controls CG, 69% men. Alcohol unit (AU – 10 gram of pure ethanol) consumed per week (AUW) was 21 (12–44) in ALC and 0 (0–0) in CG, P<0.001. The mean time of alcoholism amounted 20 (10–26) years. RVGS was: 20±7% in ALC vs. 24±3% in CG, P=0.001. In ALC, RV middle segment strain (RVmid) was 22±8% vs. 24±3%, P=0.01 and RV apical segment strain (RVapx) was 17±7 vs. 22±3, P=0.0002, see Table. No significant differences were detected for RV diameter, TAPSE and RVS', see Table. Moreover, univariate analysis showed significant positive correlation between free time (FT- time between last alcohol ingestion and echocardiography examination) and RVGS (rho = 0.36, P=0.01) as well as between FT and global longitudinal left ventricle strain (LVGS) (rho = 0.33, P=0.01), whereas TAPSE and RVS' did not show this relationship (rho = 0.30, P=0.41 and rho = 0.21, P=0.14, respectively). See Figure for RVGS. Conclusions Chronic alcohol overuse was associated with significant worsening of RV function expressed by absolute values of RVGS and RV middle and apical segment strains, offering novel quantitative parameter for reflecting early, often subclinical, impairment of RV function. RVGS and LVGS (contrary to TAPSE and RVS') reflected also myocardial function recovery after alcohol intake cessation proportionally to the elapsed abstinence time. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None. Table 1Figure 1