title: Statin therapy decreases myocardial function as evaluated via strain imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of statin therapy on myocardial function as measured with echocardiography with tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) and strain imaging (SI) independent of its lipid-lowering effect.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Statin use is known to improve outcomes in the primary and secondary prevention of ischemic heart disease, but their use is also associated with myopathy, muscle weakness and in rare cases, rhabdomyolysis. We sought to evaluate whether TDI and SI is able to identify changes in myocardial function associated with statin use.
  
  
  METHODS
  Myocardial function was evaluated in 28 patients via echocardiography with TDI and SI. We identified 12 patients (5 females) without overt cardiovascular disease (including hypertension, smoking, and diabetes) that were on statin therapy and compared their echocardiographic findings with 16 (12 females) age, sex, and cholesterol-profile-matched controls. Tissue Doppler imaging parameters of diastolic (E(')/A(') and E/E(')) and systolic (S') function were measured. Regional systolic function was obtained by SI in 4-chamber, 2-chamber, long axis, and average global views.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference in myocardial function as measured by Doppler and minor differences as measured via TDI among the 2 groups. There was significantly better function noted with SI in the control group vs the statin group in the 4-chamber (-19.05% +/- 2.45% vs -16.47% +/- 2.37% P = 0.009), 2-chamber (-20.30% +/- 2.66% vs -17.45% +/- 4.29% P = 0.03), long axis (-17.63% +/- 3.79% vs -13.83% +/- 3.74% P = 0.01), and average global (-19.0% +/- 2.07% vs -15.91% +/- 2.81% P = 0.004) views.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Statin therapy is associated with decreased myocardial function as evaluated with SI.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Division, Department of Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
authors.forename: Jack
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rubinstein
authors.forename: Feras
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aloka
authors.forename: George S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Abela
mesh_terms: D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003971:Diastole / Q000502:physiology; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006346:Heart Septum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013599:Systole / Q000502:physiology; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors