TY - JOUR T1 - Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction in Patients with Dermatomyositis Without Clinically Evident Cardiovascular Disease JF - The Journal of Rheumatology JO - J Rheumatol DO - 10.3899/jrheum.130346 SP - jrheum.130346 AU - Han Wang AU - Han-Xiong Liu AU - Yin-Li Wang AU - Xiu-Qiong Yu AU - Xian-Xiang Chen AU - Lin Cai Y1 - 2014/01/15 UR - http://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2014/01/14/jrheum.130346.abstract N2 - Objective To assess left ventricular (LV) diastolic function in patients with dermatomyositis (DM) without clinically evident cardiovascular (CV) disease and to estimate whether there is an association between the duration of DM and LV diastolic dysfunction (LVDD). Methods The study included 51 patients with DM (43 women and 8 men) who had no clinically evident CV disease and 51 age-matched and sex-matched healthy controls. Echocardiographic and Doppler studies were conducted in all patients and controls. Early diastolic flow velocity/mitral annular early diastolic velocity (E/Em) was considered a marker for diastolic dysfunction. Results E/Em was elevated in 39 patients (76.5%) versus 27 controls (52.9%; p < 0.05). There were significant differences between patients versus control group in late diastolic flow velocity (A), E/A ratio, Em, Em/Am (mitral annular late diastolic velocity) ratio, E/Em ratio, and deceleration time (DT; p < 0.05). There was a weak correlation with disease duration between A (r = 0.373, p = 0.007), E/A ratio (r = –0.467, p = 0.001), Em (r = –0.474, p < 0.001), Em/Am ratio (r = –0.476, p < 0.001), E/Em ratio (r = 0.320, p = 0.022), and DT (r = 0.474, p < 0.001). Disease duration was associated with E/Em after controlling for age, sex, and other factors (p < 0.05). Conclusion Our study confirms a high frequency of LVDD in DM patients without evident CV disease. The association between transmitral flow alteration and disease duration may suggest a subclinical myocardial involvement with disease progression. ER -