AB0182 HEMOGLOBIN RATE AS A PREDICTOR OF SUBCLINICAL LEFT VENTRICULAR SYSTOLIC DYSFUNCTION IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Background:

The role of rheumatoid arthritis as an ischemic heart disease and heart failure risk factor is well acknowledged even if the physiopathological pathways are still debated. The effect of anemia on myocardial deformation has already been established and a hemoglobin level below 9g/dL was associated with a significantly lower global longitudinal strain (GLS) patients with no history of CVD or chronic inflammatory diseases.[1]

Objectives:

In the present study, we looked into the effect of anemia and hemoglobin on the myocardial impairement in RA patients.

Methods:

We conducted a monocentric cross-sectional study between march 2019 and september 2019 on 36 RA patients without any history of cardiovascular disease and non-altered left ventricular ejection fraction in the outpatient population of the rheumatology department of the military hospital of Tunis matched with 36 healthy control subjects. Both groups underwent conventional echocardiography and STE to measure GLS; subclinical left ventricular systolic dysfunction was defined as a GLS > −18%, and a complete blood cell count; anemia was defined as Hemoglobin levels < 12 g/dL for women and < 13 g/dL for men.

Results:

Myocardial deformation study revealed that rheumatoid arthritis patients had a significantly worse GLS than healthy controls (18.99±2.81% vs 20.42±1.33%; P=.015). We also observed that third of the RA patients had subclinical left ventricular systolic dysfunction.

In our report 36% of RA patients were anemic. In our univariate analysis anemia was found to be significantly correlated with GLS (r=−0.368, P=.027) and hemoglobin was found to be the best predictor of subclinical LVSD in our ROC curve analysis (AUC=0.752, 95% CI: 0.577-0.927, P=.02). In our multivariate analysis anemia was the only factor that was independently related to subclinical LVSD (OR: 11.39, 95% CI: 1.57-82.89, P=.016).

Figure 1.

ROC curve analysis for Hemoglobin as a predictor of subclinical left ventricular systolic dysfunction

Conclusion:

To our knowledge, this is the first study to look into the relationship between GLS and anemia among RA patients, and now it is safe to say that anemia is yet another added burden on the myocardial function in RA patients that needs to be taken into account when discussing therapeutic action.

References:

[1]Zhou Q, Shen J, Liu Y, Luo R, Tan B, Li G. Assessment of left ventricular systolic function in patients with iron deficiency anemia by three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography. Anatol J Cardiol. 2017;18(3):194–9.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

AB0178 COMORBIDITIES IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: DO THEY INTERFERE WITH MYOCARDIAL FUNCTION?

Background:

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD).The early myocardial dysfunction in RA patients may be detectable sooner using speckle-tracking echocariodgraphy to evaluate ventricular strain especially the global longitudinal strain (GLS), this has provided more comprehensive information on ventricular dysfunction in these patients.

Objectives:

In the present study, we evaluated comorbidities that interfered the most with the GLS in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Methods:

The study population was comprised of a case group (36 patients with rheumatoid arthritis with no history of CVD and normal LVEF in the outpatient population of the Rheumatology department in the military hospital of Tunis) and a matched control group (individuals without a history of rheumatoid arthritis or cardiac abnormalities referred for clinical check-ups). In both groups, 2D and 3D echocardiographic examinations were performed by a single cardiologist to assess cardiac functional parameters.

Results:

Anemia (36%) was found to be the most common comorbidity followed by diabetes mellitus (25%), arterial hypertension (17%) and dyslipidemia (17%).

Myocardial deformation study revealed that rheumatoid arthritis patients had a significantly worse global longitudinal strain than healthy controls (18.99±2.81% vs 20.42±1.33%; P=.015). Moreover, a third of the rheumatoid arthritis patients (and no healthy controls) exhibited subclinical left ventricular systolic dysfunction (GLS<18%).

Anemia (r=−0.368, P=.027), Age (r=−0.365, P=.029), Diabetes mellitus (r=−0.540, P=.001) and E/A (r=0.351, P=.036) were significantly correlated with GLS in our univariate study. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed hemoglobin as the best predictor for subclinical LVSD (AUC=0.752, 95% CI: 0.577-0.927, P=.02) when compared to Age and E/A.

Conclusion:

This prospective comparative study highlighted the diabetes mellitus and anemia burden on myocardial dysfunction in RA patients.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

[Right ventricular function after a first episode of pulmonary embolism: Contribution of longitudinal 2D strain]

BACKGROUND

Analysis of right ventricular (RV) function during the acute phase of pulmonary embolism (PE) was widely reported in the literature. However, few studies analysed its function long term after the acute phase. Our aim was to evaluate the RV function long term after a first episode of PE.

METHODS

In this study, we compared echocardiographic parameters of right ventricular function in 25 patients with a first episode of non-severe PE for more than six months with 25 healthy controls subject.

RESULTS

In the study of RV function, we noted that the mean values of the standard parameters were significantly lower in the EP group compared to the control group but their values remained within the normal range. The global RV longitudinal strain had a mean value lower than the control group statistically significant (-21±4,8% vs. -25±2,4%; P=0,28). The longitudinal strain of the free wall of the RV was altered in the EP group, however, there was no significant difference between the EP group and the control group (-19,4±16% vs. -24±17%; P=0,28).

CONCLUSION

This study has shown that there is a systolic dysfunction late after a first episode of PE and this despite the absence of the symptoms and pulmonary hypertension.

[Thyroid ectopic tumour in the right ventricle of the heart]

The intracardiac ectopic thyroid tumour is rare. We report the case of a woman who was admitted for exertional dyspnea. The echocardiography revealed an obstructive tumor in the right ventricular outflow tract. Histological examination of the removed tumour showed the ectopic follicular thyroid tissue.