Tissue dopplerography of the myocardium in diagnosis of myocardial involvement in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

UNLABELLED: Inflammatory rheumatoid damage of the heart is in most cases oligosymptomatic but it can lead to development of heart failure and cause lethal outcomes. AIM OF THE STUDY: To detect asymptomatic myocardial involvement in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with the help of tissue dopplerography (TDG) of the myocardium which allowed to evaluate velocity of myocardial movement. MATERIAL AND METHODS: TDG was carried out in 22 patients with verified RA (age 33-66, mean age 45,2 +/- 7,4 years) and in 20 healthy volunteers (age 29 - 58, mean age 44,6 +/- 8,4 years). Modules of velocities of systolic and early diastolic peaks in every left ventricular (LV) wall at basal level and at levels of upper, middle and lower thirds were calculated in all patients. RESULTS: Velocities of systolic and early diastolic peaks on some LV segments correlated with C-reactive protein and ESR (r from 0.29 to 0.46). CONCLUSIONS: Velocities of systolic and early diastolic peaks in patients with RA are diffusely lowered. A correlative relationship takes place in patients with RA between TDG parameters (velocities of systolic and early diastolic peaks) and markers of activity of systemic inflammation. This reflects participation of inflammatory process in development of asymptomatic diffuse myocardial damage in RA.