Background. Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are at high risk of cardiac compromise with high mortality. The subclinical diagnosis may improve their survival. Longitudinal myocardial deformation (strain) has been found to be useful in evaluating cardiac function in these patients. Objectives. Our aims were to evaluate myocardial function by analyzing the two-dimensional (2D) global longitudinal strain, to compare the longitudinal strain in SLE patients with controls, and to determine the correlation with SLE activity index. Material and Methods. 44 patients with SLE (50.0 ± 13 years) and 50 controls (49 ± 12 years) matched by age and sex, underwent transthoracic echocardiogram. Longitudinal strain was assessed using the speckle tracking method and SLE activity was estimated using the Systemic Lupus Erythematous Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI). A score of 4 or mor...

Antecedentes. Los pacientes con lupus eritematoso sistémico (LES) tienen alto riesgo de compromiso cardíaco con elevada mortalidad, por lo que el diagnóstico subclínico podría mejorar su sobrevida. Se ha observado que el strain (deformación) miocárdico longitudinal (SGL) puede ser de utilidad para la evaluación de la función cardíaca en estos pacientes. Objetivos. Evaluar la función miocárdica mediante el análisis del strain longitudinal bidimensional (2D), comparar el strain longitudinal entre pacientes con LES y controles, y determinar la correlación con el índice de actividad del LES. Material y métodos. Se estudiaron a 44 pacientes con LES (50 ±13 años) y 50 controles (49 ±12 años) pareados por edad y sexo, a quienes se les realizó un ecocardiograma transtorácico bidimensional. Se valoró el strain longitudinal mediante el método de speckle tracking, y la activ...

  Background. Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are at high risk of cardiac compromise with high mortality. The subclinical diagnosis may improve their survival. Longitudinal myocardial deformation (strain) has been found to be useful in evaluating cardiac function in these patients. Objectives. Our aims were to evaluate myocardial function by analyzing the two-dimensional (2D) global longitudinal strain, to compare the longitudinal strain in SLE patients with controls, and to determine the correlation with SLE activity index. Material and Methods. 44 patients with SLE (50.0 ± 13 years) and 50 controls (49 ± 12 years) matched by age and sex, underwent transthoracic echocardiogram. Longitudinal strain was assessed using the speckle tracking method and SLE activity was estimated using the Systemic Lupus Erythematous Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI). A score of 4 or mor...