title: Role of 2D strain in the early identification of left ventricular dysfunction and in the risk stratification of systemic sclerosis patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune chronic disease characterized by diffuse fibrosis involving several organs, including heart. Aim of our study was to analyze left ventricular (LV) myocardial deformation, by use of 2D strain, in asymptomatic SSc patients with normal LV ejection fraction.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 29 SSc patients (28 female, 65±4 years) and 30 controls (23 female, 64±2 years). Echocardiographic study with tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) and 2D strain analysis was performed; moreover, patients were submitted to a two-year follow-up for the occurrence of cardiovascular events.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Standard echocardiographic parameters and TDI velocities were comparable between groups. LV longitudinal (LS) and circumferential (CS) strains were lower in patients than in controls (-13.1±4.8 vs -22.6±4.1, p < 0.001; -15.3±6.2 vs -20.4±5.6, p = 0.001), whereas radial strain (RS) was comparable between groups; moreover, a significant correlation of LS and CS with serum levels of Scl-70 antibodies was found (r = 0.74, p = 0.001; r = 0.53, p = 0.025). In addition, patients with cardiovascular events during follow-up showed a greater impairment of LS and CS (-10.3±2.5 vs -14.4±4.1, p = 0.015; -14.2±3.1 vs -20.1±1.6, p = 0.048) and higher values of Scl-70 antibodies serum levels (p = 0.047).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The impairment of LV function, often subclinical, worsens prognosis of SSc patients, leading to increased risk of cardiovascular complications. 2D strain, allowing the early detection of LV abnormalities and the identification of patients at greater cardiovascular risk, may be a useful tool in order to provide a more accurate management of SSc patients.
authors: Clinical and Experimental Department of Medicine and Pharmacology - Cardiology, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, A.O.U. Policlinico G. Martino, Messina 98100, Italy. maurizio.cusma@tiscali.it
authors: Maurizio
authors: M
authors: Cusmà Piccione
authors: Concetta
authors: C
authors: Zito
authors: Gianluca
authors: G
authors: Bagnato
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Oreto
authors: Gianluca
authors: G
authors: Di Bella
authors: Gianfilippo
authors: G
authors: Bagnato
authors: Scipione
authors: S
authors: Carerj
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013318:Stroke Volume; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left
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