title: Early changes in left ventricular function in chronic asymptomatic alcoholics: relation to the duration of heavy drinking.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study sought to assess preclinical cardiac abnormalities in chronic alcoholic patients and possible differences among alcoholics related to the duration of heavy drinking.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Chronic excessive alcohol intake has been reported as a possible cause of dilated cardiomyopathy. However, before the appearance of severe cardiac dysfunction, subtle signs of cardiac abnormalities may be identified.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 30 healthy subjects (age 44 +/- 8 years) and 89 asymptomatic alcoholics (age 45 +/- 8 years, p = NS) divided into three groups, with short (S, 5-9 years, n = 31), intermediate (I, 10-15 years, n = 31) and long (L, 16-28 years, n = 27) duration of alcoholism. Transmitral early (E) and late (A) Doppler flow velocities, E/A ratio, deceleration time of E (DT) and isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT) were obtained. Left ventricular (LV) wall thickness and volumes were also determined by echocardiography, and LV mass and ejection fraction (EF) were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The alcoholics had prolonged IVRT (92 +/- 11 vs. 83 +/- 7 ms, p < 0.001), longer DT (180 +/- 20 vs. 170 +/- 10 ms, p < 0.01), smaller E/A (1.25 +/- 0.34 vs. 1.40 +/- 0.32, p < 0.05), larger LV volumes (73 +/- 8 vs. 65 +/- 7 ml/m2, p < 0.001 for end-diastolic volume index; 25 +/- 4 vs. 21 +/- 2 ml/m2, p < 0.001 for end-systolic volume index), higher LV mass index (92 +/- 14 vs. 78 +/- 8 g/m2, p < 0.001) and thicker posterior wall (9 +/- 1 vs. 8 +/- 1 mm, p < 0.001). Ejection fraction did not differ between the two groups (66 +/- 4 vs. 67 +/- 2%). Deceleration time of the early transmitral flow velocity was longer in groups L (187 +/- 18 ms) and I (185 +/- 16 ms) compared with group S (168 +/- 17 ms, p < 0.001 for L and I vs. S), whereas A was higher in group L compared with S (43 +/- 10 vs. 51 +/- 10 cm/s, p < 0.005). Multiple regression analysis identified duration of heavy drinking as the most important variable affecting DT and A.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Left ventricular dilation with preserved EF and impaired LV relaxation characterized LV function in chronic asymptomatic alcoholic patients. It appeared that the progression of abnormalities in LV diastolic filling related to the duration of alcoholism.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Division, National Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lazarević
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakatani
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Nesković
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marinković
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yasumura
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stojicić
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyatake
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bojić
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Popović
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002310:Cardiomyopathy, Alcoholic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology