title: Regional myocardial dysfunction assessed by two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography in systemic sclerosis patients with fragmented QRS complexes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the study was to explore the relation between regional myocardial dysfunction and fragmented QRS (fQRS) complexes in systemic sclerosis (SSc).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-three SSc patients and 26 controls were included. All subjects underwent speckle tracking echocardiography for evaluation of left ventricular (LV) function and ECG to check for fQRS complexes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SSc patients had significantly lower LV global longitudinal, radial and circumferential strain and twist compared to controls. Thirteen SSc patients had fQRS (DII, DIII, aVF leads in eleven patients and V1 to V5 leads in two patients) and they had significantly lower global longitudinal and circumferencial strain compared to SSc patients with normal QRS. The SSc patients with fQRS in DII, DIII, and aVF leads had impaired longitudinal strain and delay in time to peak longitudinal strain in inferior LV segments compared to those with normal QRS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  fQRS is associated with lower strain measures in SSc patients indicating impairment in LV function.
authors: Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors: Kursat
authors: K
authors: Tigen
authors: Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Istanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: drsunbul@yahoo.com.tr.
authors: Murat
authors: M
authors: Sunbul
authors: Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Rheumatology, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors: Gulsen
authors: G
authors: Ozen
authors: Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors: Erdal
authors: E
authors: Durmus
authors: Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors: Tarik
authors: T
authors: Kivrak
authors: Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors: Altug
authors: A
authors: Cincin
authors: Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors: Beste
authors: B
authors: Ozben
authors: Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors: Halil
authors: H
authors: Atas
authors: Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Rheumatology, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors: Haner
authors: H
authors: Direskeneli
authors: Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors: Yelda
authors: Y
authors: Basaran
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: Fragmented QRS; Speckle tracking echocardiography; Systemic sclerosis