title: Prevention of left ventricular remodeling by long-term corticosteroid therapy in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis.
abstract: Forty-three patients with cardiac sarcoidosis were studied echocardiographically before and after (mean follow-up 88 months) steroid therapy to determine the effectiveness of corticosteroids to prevent left ventricular (LV) remodeling and improve LV contractility. In patients with initial LV ejection fractions (LVEFs) >or=55%, long-term steroid therapy showed preventive effects for LV remodeling and LV function. Patients with LVEF <54% showed significant reductions of LV volumes and LVEF improvement. However, in patients with LVEFs <30%, steroid therapy resulted in neither LV volume reductions nor improved LVEFs. In the early or middle stage of the disease, steroid therapy may be protective or therapeutic in preventing LV remodeling and preserving LV function. However, it may not be as effective in the late stage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, National Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Chiung-Zuan
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakatani
authors.forename: Guican
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Teruo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tachibana
authors.forename: Fumio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ohmori
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamagishi
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kitakaze
authors.forename: Hitonobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tomoike
authors.forename: Kunio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyatake
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011239:Prednisolone