Beschreibung:
<jats:p>
<jats:bold>Background.</jats:bold>
Dyslipidemia is considered a strong risk factor for premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and increased morbidity and mortality and may have an adverse effect on left ventricular (LV) performance. Three-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (3D-STI) provides information regarding different echocardiographic parameters of LV myocardial deformation.
</jats:p>
<jats:p>
<jats:bold>Purpose.</jats:bold>
Our aim was to assess the presence of early myocardial deformation abnormalities in nonselected dyslipidemic children free from other cardiovascular risk factors.
</jats:p>
<jats:p>
<jats:bold>Methods.</jats:bold>
Twenty-four consecutive nonselected hypercholesterolemic children (TC above the 95th percentile for age and gender, mean age 11.3 ± 2.16 years) and 24 healthy age-matched children were enrolled. None of them had any other cardiovascular risk factors. Obesity (body mass index >75th percentile for age and gender) as well as other diseases were excluded. Every subject underwent 2D- and 3D-STI. Volumes were measured from 3D datasets. Global longitudinal strain (GLS), global circumferential strain (GCS), global area strain (GAS), and global radial strain (GRS) were computed at end-systole. GAS was calculated as the percentage variation in the surface area defined by the longitudinal and circumferential strain vectors. Data analysis was performed offline (EchoPAC BT11, 4D Auto LVQ, GE).
</jats:p>
<jats:p>
<jats:bold>Results.</jats:bold>
Mean percentage intraobserver variability was 7% for GLS, 9% for GCS, 6% for GAS, and 11% for GRS. Comparison between 2D and 3D GLS showed high correspondence (r = 0.89, y = 1.13x - 0.78). The mean time of analysis was of 149 ± 27 sec for 3D analysis, which was 17% less than for 2D analysis (p<0.05). The following strain values were obtained in hyperlipidemic patients compared to controls: 3D GLS (-14.7±2.5% vs -16.8±2.7%, p <0.005), 3D GCS (-28.1±3.6% vs -29.6±4.2%, p <0.01), 3D GRS (29.6±9.2% vs 30.2±9.7%, p =NS), and 3D GAS (-39.8±3.4% vs -43.2±3.2%, p <0.001). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, the strongest relationship with dyslipidemia was found for LV GAS (β- coefficient= 0.74, r
<jats:sup>2</jats:sup>
= 0.61, p= 0.002).
</jats:p>
<jats:p>
<jats:bold>Conclusions.</jats:bold>
Dyslipidemia is associated with myocardial deformation changes independently from any other cardiovascular risk factor or any structural cardiac abnormalities.
</jats:p>