Introduction: The association between anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) and cardiac disease in the presence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been reported in various clinical trials. However, the correlation between these auto-antibodies and right ventricular (RV) function has been inadequately investigated. Objective: The present study investigated the possible correlation of the plasma anticardiolipin antibodies, as a marker of autoimmune phenomenon, with RV functions, assessed by right ventricular speckle tracking, in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus independent of significant pulmonary hypertension, systolic dysfunction or valvular disease. Methods: Forty-six SLE patients and 20 healthy controls were enrolled in our study and submitted thorough history, complete clinical examination then clinical scoring according to SLEDAI-2K score and then laboratory investigations particularly plasma anticardiolipin Ig_G or Ig_M antibodies. Then echocardiography was done to assess cardiac dimensions, left ventricular systolic functions, right ventricular functions and lastly speckle tracking for assessment of the right ventricular systolic strain. Results: Most of the study patients were young adult females with long-standing SLE (mean = 26 ± 3.1). All study patients had a high clinical SLE score (>6). All patients were normotensives and non-diabetics. No significant correlation was found between anticardiolipin titre and left ventricular dimensions or systolic functions. Significant negative correlation was found between RV strain and plasma level of both anticardiolipin Ig_M and Ig_G. Conclusion: The present study identified that with the use of 2D speckle tracking in patients with SLE, right ventricular systolic function was significantly diminished with rising plasma titre of autoimmune (Ig_G or Ig_M) antibodies independent of cardiovascular risk factors.

Introduction: The association between anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) and cardiac disease in the presence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been reported in various clinical trials. However, the correlation between these auto-antibodies and right ventricular (RV) function has been inadequately investigated. Objective: The present study investigated the possible correlation of the plasma anticardiolipin antibodies, as a marker of autoimmune phenomenon, with RV functions, assessed by right ventricular speckle tracking, in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus independent of significant pulmonary hypertension, systolic dysfunction or valvular disease. Methods: Forty-six SLE patients and 20 healthy controls were enrolled in our study and submitted thorough history, complete clinical examination then clinical scoring according to SLEDAI-2K score and then laboratory investigations particularly plasma anticardiolipin Ig_G or Ig_M antibodies. Then echocardiography was done to assess cardiac dimensions, left ventricular systolic functions, right ventricular functions and lastly speckle tracking for assessment of the right ventricular systolic strain. Results: Most of the study patients were young adult females with long-standing SLE (mean = 26 ± 3.1). All study patients had a high clinical SLE score (>6). All patients were normotensives and non-diabetics. No significant correlation was found between anticardiolipin titre and left ventricular dimensions or systolic functions. Significant negative correlation was found between RV strain and plasma level of both anticardiolipin Ig_M and Ig_G. Conclusion: The present study identified that with the use of 2D speckle tracking in patients with SLE, right ventricular systolic function was significantly diminished with rising plasma titre of autoimmune (Ig_G or Ig_M) antibodies independent of cardiovascular risk factors.

Introduction: The association between anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) and cardiac disease in the presence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been reported in various clinical trials. However, the correlation between these auto-antibodies and right ventricular (RV) function has been inadequately investigated. Objective: The present study investigated the possible correlation of the plasma anticardiolipin antibodies, as a marker of autoimmune phenomenon, with RV functions, assessed by right ventricular speckle tracking, in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus independent of significant pulmonary hypertension, systolic dysfunction or valvular disease. Methods: Forty-six SLE patients and 20 healthy controls were enrolled in our study and submitted thorough history, complete clinical examination then clinical scoring according to SLEDAI-2K score and then laboratory investigations particularly plasma anticardiolipin Ig_G or Ig_M antibodies. Then echocardiography was done to assess cardiac dimensions, left ventricular systolic functions, right ventricular functions and lastly speckle tracking for assessment of the right ventricular systolic strain. Results: Most of the study patients were young adult females with long-standing SLE (mean = 26 ± 3.1). All study patients had a high clinical SLE score (>6). All patients were normotensives and non-diabetics. No significant correlation was found between anticardiolipin titre and left ventricular dimensions or systolic functions. Significant negative correlation was found between RV strain and plasma level of both anticardiolipin Ig_M and Ig_G. Conclusion: The present study identified that with the use of 2D speckle tracking in patients with SLE, right ventricular systolic function was significantly diminished with rising plasma titre of autoimmune (Ig_G or Ig_M) antibodies independent of cardiovascular risk factors.

Introduction: The association between anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) and cardiac disease in the presence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been reported in various clinical trials. However, the correlation between these auto-antibodies and right ventricular (RV) function has been inadequately investigated. Objective: The present study investigated the possible correlation of the plasma anticardiolipin antibodies, as a marker of autoimmune phenomenon, with RV functions, assessed by right ventricular speckle tracking, in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus independent of significant pulmonary hypertension, systolic dysfunction or valvular disease. Methods: Forty-six SLE patients and 20 healthy controls were enrolled in our study and submitted thorough history, complete clinical examination then clinical scoring according to SLEDAI-2K score and then laboratory investigations particularly plasma anticardiolipin Ig_G or Ig_M antibodies. Then echocardiography was done to assess cardiac dimensions, left ventricular systolic functions, right ventricular functions and lastly speckle tracking for assessment of the right ventricular systolic strain. Results: Most of the study patients were young adult females with long-standing SLE (mean = 26 ± 3.1). All study patients had a high clinical SLE score (>6). All patients were normotensives and non-diabetics. No significant correlation was found between anticardiolipin titre and left ventricular dimensions or systolic functions. Significant negative correlation was found between RV strain and plasma level of both anticardiolipin Ig_M and Ig_G. Conclusion: The present study identified that with the use of 2D speckle tracking in patients with SLE, right ventricular systolic function was significantly diminished with rising plasma titre of autoimmune (Ig_G or Ig_M) antibodies independent of cardiovascular risk factors.

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Several studies have demonstrated that uremic patients who have preserved left ventricular (LV) systolic function could still have subtle systolic dysfunction. In our study, we assessed the right ventricular (RV) and LV myocardial functions measured by conventional echocardiography and two-dimensional (2D) longitudinal speckle-tracking in hemodialysis and non-dialysis recently diagnosed uremic patients. The study population consisted of 24 newly diagnosed uremic patients, 25 hemodialysis patients, and 20 healthy controls. The RV and LV longitudinal strains were significantly lower in patients than in controls (
9.6 vs.
15.3, P 0.001 for RV and
11.3 vs.
14.8, p 0.001 for LV). In the hemodialysis group, the RV longitudinal strain was significantly lower than in the non-dialysis group (p = 0.018). The RV longitudinal strain was correlated with hypertension and LV strain. The 2-D longitudinal speckle tracking can detect early ventricular (left and right) systolic dysfunction in patients with uremia in the presence of normal systolic function by conventional methods.

Several studies have demonstrated that uremic patients who have preserved left ventricular (LV) systolic function could still have subtle systolic dysfunction. In our study, we assessed the right ventricular (RV) and LV myocardial functions measured by conventional echocardiography and two-dimensional (2D) longitudinal speckle-tracking in hemodialysis and non-dialysis recently diagnosed uremic patients. The study population consisted of 24 newly diagnosed uremic patients, 25 hemodialysis patients, and 20 healthy controls. The RV and LV longitudinal strains were significantly lower in patients than in controls (
9.6 vs.
15.3, P 0.001 for RV and
11.3 vs.
14.8, p 0.001 for LV). In the hemodialysis group, the RV longitudinal strain was significantly lower than in the non-dialysis group (p = 0.018). The RV longitudinal strain was correlated with hypertension and LV strain. The 2-D longitudinal speckle tracking can detect early ventricular (left and right) systolic dysfunction in patients with uremia in the presence of normal systolic function by conventional methods.