Evaluation of the Left Ventricular Function in Patients with Scleroderma with Normal Pulmonary Artery Pressure Using Myocardial Strain Analysis: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Since cardiac involvement in scleroderma patients has a poor prognosis, studies have shown that observation of Left Ventricular (LV) deformation analysis using the sensitive speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) method is appropriate in predicting heart failure.

Objectives: This study evaluated LV function in patients with scleroderma with normal pulmonary artery pressure.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 30 scleroderma patients and 30 healthy cases by myocardial strain analysis. The frequency of left ventricular dysfunction in systemic sclerosis patients was evaluated by STE, two-dimensional (2D) echocardiography, and Tissue Doppler Imaging (TDI). The statistics analysis was done by SPSS software version 22.

Results: The mean age was 41.07 ± 8.94 years in the case group and 39.00 ± 15.64 years in the control group. The absolute values of the global longitudinal strain (GLS) average, GLS average 3-chambers, ejection fraction, end-diastolic volume (EDV), and stroke volume were significantly lower in the case group compared with the control group (P < 0.05). The two groups were similar in other echocardiographic indicators including GLS average 2-chambers, GLS average 4-chambers, heart rate, PAP (mm), and end-systolic volume (ESV) (P > 0.05).

Conclusions: Heart health monitoring techniques such as Myocardial Strain Analysis are useful in the early diagnosis of systolic and diastolic disorders and can play an effective role in the early treatment of this disease and prevent permanent cardiac complications of disease or medications in systemic sclerosis patients. Finally, the STE technique can be useful in evaluating GLS to diagnose subclinical LV systolic dysfunction in scleroderma patients.