Subclinical biventricular systolic dysfunction in patients with systemic sclerosis

Abstract

Objective: Silent myocardial involvement is associated with poor prognosis in patients with systemicsclerosis (SSc). Here we aimed to evaluate the subclinical left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV)systolic dysfunction in patients with SSc without any cardiovascular diseases, by using both strain imaging methods, speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) and real-time 3D echocardiography (RT3DE).Methods: A total of 47 patients with SSc and 20 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HC)were studied. Conventional echocardiography, STE-based strain imaging, and real-time 3D echocardiography (Bothell, WA, USA) were performed to assess the biventricular deformation. Clinical andserological findings were sought.Results: Conventional echocardiographic LV measurements were similar between SSc and HC. Both theLV and RV longitudinal peak systolic strain/strain rates were significantly impaired in SSc, demonstrating subclinical LV and RV systolic dysfunction (p≤0.001). Systolic pulmonary artery pressure (SPAP) wasnegatively correlated with both the LV and RV longitudinal peak systolic strain/strain rates (LV, r=−0.554and r=−0.642, respectively, p