Use of speckle strain to assess left ventricular responses to cardiotoxic chemotherapy and cardioprotection.
OBJECTIVE
The variability of ejection fraction (EF) poses a problem in the assessment of left ventricular (LV) function in patients receiving potentially cardiotoxic chemotherapy. We sought to use global longitudinal strain (GLS) to compare LV responses to various cardiotoxic chemotherapy regimens and to examine the response to cardioprotection with beta-blockers (BB) in patients showing subclinical myocardial damage.


RESULTS
We studied 159 patients (49 ± 14 year, 127 women) receiving anthracycline (group A, n = 53, 46 ± 17 year), trastuzumab (group T, n = 61, 53 ± 12 year), or trastuzumab after anthracyclines (group AT, n = 45, 46 ± 9 year). LV indices [ejection fraction (EF), mitral annular systolic velocity, and GLS] were measured at baseline and follow-up (7 ± 7 months). Patients who decreased GLS by ≥11% were followed for another 6 months; initiation of BB was at the discretion of the clinician. Anthracycline dose was similar between group A and group AT (213 ± 118 vs. 216 ± 47 mg/m(2), P = 0.85). Although ΔEF was similar among the groups, attenuation of GLS was the greatest in group AT (group A, 0.7 ± 2.8% shortening; T, 1.1 ± 2.7%; and AT, 2.0 ± 2.3%; P = 0.003, after adjustment). Of 52 patients who decreased GLS by ≥-11%, 24 were treated with BB and 28 were not. GLS improved in BB groups (from -17.6 ± 2.3 to -19.8 ± 2.6%, P < 0.001) but not in non-BB groups (from -18.0 ± 2.0 to -19.0 ± 3.0%, P = 0.08). Effects of BB were similar with all regimens.


CONCLUSIONS
GLS is an effective parameter for identifying systolic dysfunction (which appears worst with combined anthracycline and trastuzumab therapy) and responds to cardioprotection in patients administered beta-blockers.
Heart and Vascular Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Kazuaki
K
Negishi
Tomoko
T
Negishi
Brian A
BA
Haluska
James L
JL
Hare
Juan Carlos
JC
Plana
Thomas H
TH
Marwick
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D018943:Anthracyclines / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D000068878:Trastuzumab; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000517:prevention & control
D018943:Anthracyclines; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D000068878:Trastuzumab
anthracyclines; beta-blocker; cardiotoxicity; strain; trastuzumab