Cardiology in the Young

Table of Contents - April 2012 - Volume 22, Issue 02  

Original Articles

Assessment of cardiac functions using tissue Doppler imaging in children with familial Mediterranean fever

Osman Ozdemira1 c1, Pinar Isik Agrasa2, Yusuf Aydina3, Ayhan Abacia3, Samil Hizlia3, Halil Ibrahim Akkusa3 and Cihan Fidana3

a1 Department of Paediatric Cardiology, Kecioren Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey

a2 Department of Paediatric Nephrology, Kecioren Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey

a3 Department of Paediatrics, Kecioren Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey

Abstract

Objective Familial Mediterranean fever may carry a potential for cardiovascular disorders because of sustained inflammation during its course; however, there has been a limited number of studies investigating the cardiac functions in children. The aim of this study was to assess both ventricular diastolic functions using conventional echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging in children with familial Mediterranean fever.

Patients and methods The study population included 25 patients with familial Mediterranean fever – mean age was 11.8 plus or minus 5.30 years – and 23 healthy patients as controls – mean age was 9.88 plus or minus 3.69 years. Both ventricular functions were measured using echocardiography comprising standard M-mode and conventional Doppler and tissue Doppler imaging during an attack-free period.

Results The conventional echocardiographic parameters with myocardial performance index were in normal ranges and similar in patients with familial Mediterranean fever and controls, with a p-value more than 0.05. However, right ventricular diastolic dysfunction was observed in patients with familial Mediterranean fever documented by tissue Doppler imaging, with a p-value less than 0.05 for E't and A't wave ratio.

Conclusion Using tissue Doppler imaging, we have demonstrated that although left ventricular functions were comparable in the patients and healthy children, right ventricular diastolic function indices were impaired in patients with familial Mediterranean fever during childhood. Impaired right ventricular diastolic function may be an early manifestation of cardiac involvement in children with familial Mediterranean fever.

(Received January 23 2011)

(Accepted July 02 2011)

(Online publication August 19 2011)

Keywords

Correspondence:

c1 Correspondence to: Dr O. Ozdemir, Pinarbasi Mahallesi, Sanatoryum Caddesi, Ardahan Sokak, Kecioren Egitim ve Arastirma Hastanesi (Kecioren Training and Research Hospital), Kecioren, Ankara 06380, Turkey. Tel: +90 312 356 90 00; Fax: +90 312 356 90 02; E-mail: pedkard@gmail.com

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