title: Ventricular diastolic function of ankylosing spondylitis patients by using conventional pulsed wave Doppler, myocardial performance index and tissue Doppler imaging.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Dokuz Eylul University School of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Taha
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okan
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sari
authors.forename: Servet
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akar
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cece
authors.forename: Ozhan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Goldeli
authors.forename: Sema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guneri
authors.forename: Nurullah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akkoc
mesh_terms: 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*