Tissue Doppler velocities of the right and left ventricles and their association with C-reactive protein and homocysteine levels in Behcet's disease

Plasma Homocysteine in Behcet's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

AIM

 To evaluate the relevance of plasma homocysteine (HC) in Behcet's disease (BD) and its clinical manifestations.

METHODS

 Systematic review of EMBASE and PubMed databases according to PRISMA guidelines from inception to July 2021; random-effects meta-analyses for continuous outcomes.

RESULTS

 The search strategy retrieved 48 case-control (2,669 BD and 2,245 control participants) and 5 cohort studies (708 BD participants). Plasma HC was higher in BD than in controls (p < 0.0001) with wide heterogeneity (I2  = 89.7%) that remained unchanged after sensitivity analysis according to year of article publication, age of BD participants, study size, study quality, method of HC determination, and male/female ratio >1.5; some pooled ethnicities explained a small part of the heterogeneity (I2  = 16.3%). Active BD participants had higher HC than inactive ones (p < 0.0001), with moderate heterogeneity (I2  = 49.2%) that disappeared after removal of an outlier study with very high disease activity. BD participants with any vascular involvement had higher HC than those without (p < 0.0001) with wide heterogeneity (I2  = 89.7%); subgroup analysis on venous thrombosis only changed neither effect size (p < 0.0001) nor heterogeneity (I2  = 72.7%). BD participants with ocular involvement had higher HC than those without (p < 0.0001) with moderate heterogeneity (I2  = 40.3%).

CONCLUSION

 Although causality cannot be inferred, the consistency of the elevation of plasma HC in BD, particularly in patients with active disease, with vascular and ocular involvement suggests an intrinsic involvement of HC in these clinical manifestations.

The association of inflammatory markers and echocardiographic parameters in Behçet's disease

Background: The main objective of the current study is to find out if any association exists between specific inflammatory markers such as homocysteine (Hcy) and pentraxin-3 (PTX-3) and cardiac involvement determined by means of echocardiographic parameters in patients with Behçet disease (BD).Methods: From January 2011 to January 2012, a total of 62 Behçet's patients were enrolled in the study. Thirty-two healthy subjects constituted the control group. The diagnosis of BD was made as proposed by International Study Group of BD.Results: The mean PTX-3, Hcy, and C-reactive protein levels were significantly higher in patients with BD compared to the control group. The electromechanical delay (EMD) times were found to be prolonged in patients with BD. Also, the aortic stiffness index (SI) and elastic modulus (Ep) were significantly higher, while the aortic dispensibility was significantly lower in patients with BD. The left atrial volume, left atrial volume index, E/A ratio, E/E' septal, IRight-EMD, PA'-ML, PA'-MS, PA'-TL, SI, and Ep were correlated with PTX-3 levels. In addition, the E/A, PA'-ML, PA'-MS, SI, and Ep displayed correlation with Hcy levels in patients having BD.Conclusion: Elevated levels of PTX-3 and Hcy were found to be correlated with cardiac involvement determined by means of echocardiographic parameters in patients with BD.

Assessment of subclinical cardiac damage in chronic plaque psoriasis patients: a case control study

Introduction

Epidemiological studies have suggested that patients with psoriasis are at an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Chronic inflammation may play a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis in psoriasis patients. Recent studies have evaluated the expression of plasma endocan and homocysteine levels. Endocan is a marker of vascular endothelial damage, and homocysteine plays a role in the development of atherosclerosis. Plasma endocan and homocysteine levels, as well as echocardiographic parameters, were evaluated in patients with psoriasis to assess cardiovascular disease risk.

Material and methods

This was a prospective cohort analysis of 40 patients who were diagnosed with psoriasis and 40 healthy controls matched to the patient group according to demographic and biochemical parameters.

Results

Serum endocan and homocysteine concentrations were significantly higher in the psoriasis group than the control group (p < 0.001). Serum endocan concentrations correlated positively with disease duration (p < 0.001; r = 0.725). The Tei index (myocardial performance) was elevated in psoriasis patients (p < 0.001). Additionally, the E/A (mitral valve early diastolic peak flow velocity/mitral valve late diastolic peak flow velocity) and E/Em (early diastolic myocardial velocity) ratios were reduced in psoriasis patients (p < 0.001). Parameters indicative of left ventricular asynchrony were elevated significantly in the psoriasis group versus the control group (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

We observed a substantial increase in serum endocan and homocysteine concentrations, and significant differences in key parameters of cardiac function, in psoriasis patients relative to controls. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that subclinical cardiac damage is increased in patients with psoriasis and that psoriasis itself may be a cardiovascular risk factor.

Hyperhomocysteinemia: a cardiovascular risk factor in autoimmune diseases?

Epidemiological studies conducted over the past 25 years have provided ample support for the association of mild hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) with an elevated risk of atherothrombosis. Since autoimmune disorders (AD) are frequently associated with relevant and early signs of atherothrombotic damage not adequately explained by the traditional risk factors involved in the onset of cardiovascular disease (CVD), a large interest has been shown to the putative role of mild HHcy in this setting. On the basis of such considerations, we focused the attention on the relationship between homocysteine (Hcy) and CVD in patients affected with autoimmune diseases, reviewing the most recent literature data and also providing our original experience. Although the large amount of available studies clearly shows that HHcy represents a common finding in patients affected with several autoimmune diseases, the actual role of Hcy in the development of CVD in the course of AD is not clear yet, perhaps, with the only exception of the systemic lupus erythematosus. In the other conditions, the role of Hcy in the pathogenesis of vascular complications is still a matter of debate, as the result of conflicting reports and/or lack of an adequate body of investigation. Lupus (2007) 16, 852—862.

Cardiac Function and Diastolic Dysfunction in Behcet's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background. Cardiovascular involvement in Behcet's disease (BD) is reported and has variable manifestations. It is not clear if diastolic dysfunction (DD) is increased in BD. Our objective was to evaluate the existing literature to determine if cardiac dysfunction, particularly DD, was more prevalent in these patients. Methods. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the available studies analyzing the echocardiographic findings in BD was conducted using a random-effects model. Mean differences were used to calculate the effect sizes of the echocardiographic parameters of interest. Results. A total of 22 studies with 1624 subjects were included in the analysis. Patients with BD had statistically significantly larger mean left atrial dimension (0.08, p = 0.0008), greater aortic diameter (0.16, p = 0.02), significantly reduced ejection fraction (−1.08, p < 0.0001), significantly prolonged mitral deceleration time (14.20, p < 0.0001), lower E/A ratio (−0.24, p = 0.05), and increased isovolumetric relaxation time (7.29, p < 0.00001). Conclusion. DD is increased in patients with BD by the presence of several echocardiographic parameters favoring DD as compared to controls. The meta-analysis also identified that LA dimension is increased in BD patients. EF has also been found to be lower in BD patients. Aortic diameter was also increased in BD patients as compared to controls.

Assessment of Left Ventricular Diastolic Function in Egyptian Patients With Behçet's Disease

Objectives

This study aims to evaluate left ventricular diastolic function in Egyptian patients with Behçet's disease using variable echocardiographic parameters by combining both transmitral and tissue Doppler velocities to overcome the occasional false interpretation of preload dependent transmitral parameters and to detect the correlation between various left ventricular diastolic parameters and different disease manifestations.

Patients and methods

Forty patients (35 males, 5 females; mean age 31±8 years; range 19 to 52 years) with Behçet's disease and 32 age- and sex- matched healthy controls (26 males, 6 females; mean age 28±6 years; range 19 to 60 years) were enrolled. Left ventricular diastolic function was assessed using an algorithm that combined transmitral and tissue Doppler derived parameters.

Results

Mean disease duration of the patients was 7.4±6 years. Left and right ventricular systolic function was normal in both groups. The transmitral E/A was<1 in six patients (15%). There was no difference between patients and controls regarding the other left ventricular diastolic parameters. Compared to patients with an E/A ratio >1, patients with E/A<1 were significantly older and had a longer disease duration (p=0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). All the other echocardiographic parameters in both groups were comparable.

Conclusion

Egyptian patients with Behçet's disease have normal left ventricular diastolic function regardless of disease duration and activity.

The assessment of cardiac functions by tissue Doppler-derived myocardial performance index in patients with Behcet’s disease

Vascular involvement is one of the major characteristics of Behcet's disease (BD). However, there are controversial findings regarding cardiac involvement in BD. Although early reports demonstrated that there is diastolic dysfunction in BD, conflicting results were found in the following trials. Hence, a new method for more objectively estimating the cardiac functions is needed. For this aim, we used high-usefulness tissue Doppler echocardiography for detailed analysis of cardiac changes in BD patients because this method was superior to other conventional echocardiographic techniques. The study population included 42 patients with BD (19 men, 23 women; mean age, 35 +/- 10 years, mean disease duration, 2.7 +/- 1.6 years) and 30 healthy subjects (14 men, 16 women; mean age, 38 +/- 7 years). Cardiac functions were determined using echocardiography, comprising standard two-dimensional and conventional Doppler and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). Peak systolic myocardial velocity at mitral annulus, early diastolic mitral annular velocity (Em), late diastolic mitral annular velocity (Am), Em/Am, and myocardial performance index (MPI) were calculated by TDI. The conventional echocardiographic parameters and tissue Doppler measurements were similar between the groups. Tissue Doppler derived mitral relaxation time was longer (75 +/- 13 vs 63 +/- 16 msn, p = 0.021) in patients with BD. There was statistically significant difference between the two groups regarding left ventricular MPI (0.458 +/- 0.072 vs 0.416 +/- 0.068%, p = 0.016), which were calculated from tissue Doppler systolic time intervals. There was also significant correlation between the disease duration and MPI (r = 0.38, p = 0.017). We have demonstrated that tissue Doppler-derived myocardial left ventricular relaxation time and MPI were impaired in BD patients, although systolic and diastolic function parameters were comparable in the patients and controls.

Right Ventricular Tissue Doppler and Strain Imaging: Ready for Clinical Use?

Although tissue Doppler (TD) imaging of the left ventricle is now commonly used in clinical settings, TD imaging of the right ventricle (RV) is not routinely practiced. Yet, there are significant data on clinical uses of RV TD imaging, including established normal values using both color and spectral TD. In acute left ventricular (LV) inferior wall myocardial infarction, depressed RV TD velocities have been shown to correlate with the presence of RV impairment, and with patient outcome. In patients with LV heart failure, TD imaging has been correlated to RV ejection fraction by radionuclide angiography, and is an independent predictor of outcome. In patients with congenital heart disease, RV TD has been especially valuable for assessing RV function, and has been correlated to invasive hemodynamic indices, and RV ejection fraction by magnetic resonance imaging. The RV performance (Tei) index has been calculated and validated using TD-derived, rather than conventional pulsed Doppler time intervals. RV TD indices have been shown to be useful in the detection of subclinical and clinical disease in morbid obesity, chronic pulmonary, and systemic disease. TD-derived RV strain imaging can detect segmental myocardial dysfunction, overcoming limitations to conventional TD imaging resulting from tethering. For both TD velocity and strain imaging, however, appreciation of the limitations of these techniques is necessary for their appropriate use. Given its rapid acquisition times, reproducibility, and ease of addition to standard transthoracic echocardiographic protocols, RV TD and strain imaging are important additional modalities in the comprehensive echo-Doppler assessment of RV function.

Myocardial Functional and Textural Findings of the Right and Left Ventricles and Their Association with Cellular Adhesion Molecules in Behçet's Disease

AIM

This study was designed to assess whether ultrasonic reflectivity, evaluated by integrated backscatter analysis was associated with the severity of inflammation and diastolic dysfunction of the left (LV) and right ventricles (RV) in Behçet's disease (BD).

METHODS

The study consisted of 20 patients with BD and 18 healthy controls. The expression of CD11b and CD63 on the surface of granulocytes and monocytes were measured by flow cytometry. RV and LV diastolic functions were assessed by tricuspid and mitral annular tissue Doppler recordings, respectively. Backscatter cyclic variation (CV) and maximal intensity (IB) were measured in RV lateral wall, interventricular septum, and posterior LV wall from parasternal long-axis view, apex from apical four-chamber view, anterior, inferior, and lateral LV walls from parasternal short axis view.

RESULTS

The mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of CD11b on granulocytes and CD63 on monocytes in BD patients was higher than those of controls. Patients with BD had smaller mitral and tricuspid annular early diastolic wave velocities and early/late diastolic wave velocity ratios (E/A) than controls. MFI of CD11b and CD63 was inversely correlated with tricuspid and mitral annular E/A in BD patients. CV of RV and global CV of LV were found to be diminished in BD patients than controls. CV of RV and global CV of LV showed a direct correlation with tricuspid and mitral annular E/A ratio, respectively.

CONCLUSION

There is an association between the levels of cellular adhesion molecules, deterioration of diastolic function, and altered myocardial ultrasonic reflectivity in BD.