Subclinical left and right ventricular systolic dysfunction in Behcet's disease: a combined tissue doppler and velocity vector imaging study.

BACKGROUND

Behcet's disease (BD) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by recurrent oral and genital ulcerations and ocular lesions. Subclinical cardiac involvement may develop in BD patients. We aimed to evaluate subclinical left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) systolic dysfunction in BD patients without any apparent cardiovascular disease.

METHODS

We studied 50 BD patients (43.8 ± 9.7 years, 59% men) and 30 healthy controls (45.4 ± 8.2 years, 60% men). Conventional echocardiography, tissue Doppler imaging, and velocity vector imaging-based strain measurements were performed to analyze LV and RV systolic functions.

RESULTS

LV isovolumic myocardial acceleration, peak systolic velocity during isovolumic contraction (isovolumic contraction velocity), were significantly lower, while myocardial performance index was increased in BD patients. RV peak systolic velocity, isovolumic myocardial acceleration, and isovolumic contraction velocity were also markedly lower in BD patients. LV and RV longitudinal peak systolic strain and strain rate were significantly lower in patients than in controls, demonstrating subclinical ventricular systolic dysfunction.

CONCLUSIONS

Ventricular long-axis functions are important markers of myocardial contractility. Novel echocardiographic techniques may provide additional data for detecting early deterioration in ventricular systolic function in patients with BD.