Ventricular diastolic function of ankylosing spondylitis patients by using conventional pulsed wave Doppler, myocardial performance index and tissue Doppler imaging.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate ventricular functions by using standard Doppler echocardiography (SDE), myocardial performance index (MPI), and pulsed wave tissue Doppler imaging (PW-TDI) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and healthy controls.


METHODS
Forty-nine AS patients (38 +/- 11 years, 25 M/24 F) and 33 controls (36 +/- 9 years, 17 M/16 F) were studied. Two-dimensional, M-Mode, SDE, PW-TDI echocardiography examinations were performed. Spinal mobility was assessed by the Bath ankylosing spondylitis metrology index (BASMI) measurement. Patients were also evaluated using the Bath ankylosing spondylitis functional index (BASFI) and the Bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index (BASDAI).


RESULTS
Four control subjects and six AS patients met the left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction (DD) criteria by using conventional Doppler echocardiography (p > 0.05). However, using PW-TDI method 22 patients in the AS group and six subjects in the control group were diagnosed to have LV DD (Em/Am < 1). Pseudonormalized pattern was present in 16 AS patients and two control subjects. Correlation analysis revealed significant moderate negative correlations between Em/Am and BASMI, age and body mass index (p < 0.05; r =-0.3, -0.6, and -0.4, respectively). No correlation was observed between Em/Am and disease duration, BASFI, BASDAI, CRP, and ESR. We could not detect any right ventricular function involvement either by conventional or by recently introduced echocardiography methods. The risk of developing LV DD was found to be 3.7 times higher in AS patients.


CONCLUSIONS
When sensitive echocardiographic Doppler techniques such as MPI, TDI-derived MPI, and PW-TDI are utilized, DD can be detected in a significant proportion of patients with AS without cardiovascular (CV) disease which may contribute CV mortality in these patients.
Okan
Taha
T
Department of Cardiology, Dokuz Eylul University School of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
Sari
Ismail
I
Akar
Servet
S
Cece
Hasan
H
Goldeli
Ozhan
O
Guneri
Sema
S
Akkoc
Nurullah
N
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003971:Diastole / Q000502:physiology; D018619:Echocardiography, Doppler, Pulsed; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*