title: Evaluation of cardiotoxicity via speckle-tracking echocardiography in patients treated with anthracyclines.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to examine the cardiac effects of anthracycline therapy based on speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) and to identify patients at risk for cardiotoxicity.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 35 breast cancer (BC) and 15 lymphoma patients who were treated with anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Conventional echocardiography and STE were performed 1 month prior to and 1 month after chemotherapy. Longitudinal strain analysis was performed via STE using automated functional imaging.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ejection fraction (EF) and the fractional shortening values were significantly lower in the lymphoma group. There was a positive correlation between anthracycline dose and subclinical heart failure (p = 0.024). There was an increase in the myocardial performance index in both groups. After therapy, STE showed regional decreases in the longitudinal strain values in the BC group, but the global strain values did not differ. In the lymphoma group, the apical long-axis, the 4-chamber, and the global longitudinal strain values were significantly lower after therapy (p = 0.002, 0.041, and 0.004, respectively). The long-axis and global longitudinal strain values were significantly lower in the lymphoma patients with normal EF values (p = 0.01 and 0.05, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cardiotoxicity during the early phase of anthracycline treatment can be detected via STE prior to the observation of systolic function deterioration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Medical Faculty, Kocaeli University, Turkey.
authors.forename: Atalay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dogru
authors.forename: Devrim
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cabuk
authors.forename: Tayfun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.forename: Ilhan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dolasik
authors.forename: Suleyman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Temiz
authors.forename: Kazim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uygun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018943:Anthracyclines / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018943:Anthracyclines; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents