Diastolic function abnormalities in active rheumatoid arthritis evaluation by conventional Doppler and tissue Doppler: relation with duration of disease

Clin Rheumatol. 2006 May;25(3):294-9. doi: 10.1007/s10067-005-0014-3. Epub 2005 Oct 13.

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate left ventricular diastolic function in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA), analyzing conventional Doppler and tissue Doppler echocardiographic imaging (TDI) which is a new echocardiographic application, with special regard to disease duration.

Methods: Fifty-two patients with active RA and 47 healthy persons were included in this study. Duration of disease ranged from 3 to 324 months (mean 76+/-85 months). All patients and the control group were evaluated by M-mod, two-dimensional, conventional Doppler echocardiography and TDI.

Results: Among conventional Doppler transvalvular mitral flow parameters, late diastolic flow velocity (A) and deceleration time (DT) values were higher in patients with RA than that in the control group (p<0.001). E (early diastolic flow velocity)/A ratio was found to be lower in patients with RA than that in the control group (p<0.001). Mitral annular early diastolic velocity (E (m)), among TDI parameters, was found to be lower in patients with RA than that in the control group (p<0.001). E (m)/A (m) (mitral annular late diastolic velocity) ratio was found to be lower in RA patients compared with that in the control group (p<0.001). The relation was found between A (r=0.43, p=0.001), DT (r=0.30, p=0.03), E/A ratio (r=0.40, p=0.004), E (m) (r=0.32, p=0.02), E (m)/A (m) ratio (r=0.30, p=0.03), and E/E (m) (r=0.32, p=0.02), with disease duration in patients with RA.

Conclusion: At present, it is concluded that active RA patients, in the absence of clinical evidence of heart disease, show diastolic dysfunction characterized by impaired E/A ratio, E (m)/A (m) ratio, and DT. The relation between diastolic dysfunction and disease duration suggests a subclinical myocardial involvement.

MeSH terms

  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / complications*
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / diagnostic imaging
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / physiopathology
  • Diastole*
  • Echocardiography, Doppler / methods*
  • Female
  • Heart Ventricles / diagnostic imaging
  • Heart Ventricles / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mitral Valve / diagnostic imaging
  • Mitral Valve / physiopathology
  • Pulmonary Veins / diagnostic imaging
  • Pulmonary Veins / physiopathology
  • Time Factors
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / complications*
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / diagnostic imaging
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / physiopathology