Altered left ventricular diastolic performance in oncologic patients treated with epirubicin.
Anthracyclines confer an increased risk of cardiotoxicity. The authors evaluated left ventricular (LV) performance in patients treated with epirubicin. Sixty-eight patients with malignancies (study group), treated with epirubicin < or = 450 mg/m2, and a matched control group of 68 cancer patients who had not started chemotherapy were evaluated by Doppler echocardiography. The authors assessed LV diastolic function by measuring the transmitral flow: the maximal velocity of the E and A waves, the Emax/Amax ratio, the pressure half time of E wave (PHT), and the isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT). Global LV ejection fraction (LVEF) was estimated to determine the systolic performance. The authors documented alterations of the LV diastolic performance in the study group by finding a significant decrease in Emax, whereas Amax was significantly increased. Prolonged PHT and IVRT were also certified in the epirubicin-treated group compared with controls. No significant variation in LVEF between the 2 groups was detected.
Department of Internal Medicine, Fifth Medical Clinic, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. dan_rad31@yahoo.com
Dan
D
Radulescu
Sorin
S
Pripon
Andreea
A
Parv
Caius
C
Duncea
Tudor E
TE
Ciuleanu
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D015251:Epirubicin