title: Myocardial function in Rocky Mountain spotted fever: echocardiographic assessment.
abstract: Nine patients with Rocky Mountain spotted fever underwent M-mode echocardiographic examination. Increased left ventricular dimension was found in 2 patients and decreased left ventricular shortening fraction in 7. Diminished mean velocity of circumferential fiber shortening, increased left ventricular systolic time intervals ratio, and increased mitral valve E point to ventricular septal separation were found in 6 patients. One patient died and at necropsy diffuse myocarditis was present. Repeat echocardiographic examination was available in the remaining 8 patients at follow-up (mean 10 months). Abnormal E mitral point to ventricular septal separation remained in 3 patients and decreased left ventricular shortening fraction in 2; in 1 there was also increased left ventricular end-diastolic dimension. Thus abnormal left ventricular function and chamber enlargement are frequently present in patients with Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009200:Myocardial Contraction; D012373:Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*