Subclinical cardiac dysfunction in children with coeliac disease: is the gluten-free diet effective?

Myocardial function using two dimension speckle-tracking echocardiography in children with celiac disease

The prevalence of cardiac complications linked to celiac disease (CD) is on expanding. This study aimed to evaluate the cardiac function in children with CD using two dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) to detect early myocardial dysfunction, if any. This cross-sectional study included 40 children with CD as the patient group and 40 healthy age- and sex-matched children served as the control group. High sensitive troponin T (Hs-troponin T), anti-tissue transglutaminase immunoglobulin A (tTG-IgA), hemoglobin, ferritin, albumin, and vitamin D levels were measured in all participants. Conventional, tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), and 2D-STE were performed for all included children. Conventional echocardiographic parameters showed no significant difference between the two groups. Left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LV GLS) obtained by 2D-STE was substantially lower in children with CD than the control group; however, myocardial performance index (MPI) obtained by TDI was significantly higher in children with CD. Hs-troponin T levels were comparable in both groups. LV GLS was positively correlated with hemoglobin, ferritin, and albumin level, but it was inversely correlated with the duration of the disease and anti tTG-IgA.    Conclusion: 2D-STE can detect subclinical early cardiac dysfunction in children with CD and this cardiac injury correlated to the duration and severity of the disease and some nutritional deficiency in these children. What is Known: • The prevalence of cardiac complications linked to celiac disease (CD) is on expanding. • Only one study evaluated cardiac function in children with CD using two dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE). What is New: • Our study found that 2D-STE can detect early subclinical cardiac dysfunction in children with CD. Cardiac injury in theses children correlated to the duration and severity of the disease, hemglobin, ferritin, and albumin levels.

Are Tp-e interval and QT dispersion values important in children with coeliac disease?

OBJECTIVES

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune intestinal disease that develops with permanent intolerance to gluten and similar cereal proteins. It can damage to many tissues, including myocardium, by autoimmune mechanisms. In our study, we aimed to investigate the effect of coeliac disease on cardiac electrical activity by comparing the Tp-e interval and Qt dispersion values of coeliac patients with healthy children.

METHODS

Fifty-seven coeliac patients and 57 healthy children were included in the study. Sociodemographic findings, physical examinations, symptoms, laboratory values, dietary compliance, endoscopy, and pathological findings were recorded into a standardised form. Electrocardiogram parameters were calculated, and echocardiography findings were noted.

RESULTS

No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of age, gender, heart rate, electrocardiogram parameters such as p wave, PR interval, QRS complex, QT interval, and QTc values. Tp-e interval, Tp-e / QT ratio, and Tp-e / QTc ratio were statistically significantly higher in the patient group compared to the control group. Ejection fraction and fractional shortening values were significantly lower in the patient group compared to the control group. In the patient group, Tp-e interval, Tp-e / QT ratio, Tp-e / QTc ratio, and QTc dispersion were statistically significantly higher in patients with tissue transglutaminase IgA positive compared to patients with tissue transglutaminase IgA negative.

CONCLUSION

Our study gives important findings in terms of detecting early signs of future cardiovascular events in childhood age group coeliac patients.

Assessment of subclinical myocardial dysfunctions in Egyptian children with celiac disease, a cross-sectional study

Background

Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic immune-mediated disorder with multiple extraintestinal manifestations. The increased incidence of cardiac morbidities in celiac patients highlights the importance of early detection of subclinical myocardial dysfunctions. In this study, we aimed to assess the cardiac functions and explore early subclinical myocardial dysfunctions in celiac patients by tissue Doppler imaging.

Results

A cross-sectional analytical study which included 42 celiac patients with CD and 36 age- and sex-matched controls. They were subjected to full medical history and examination and complete transthoracic echocardiography including tissue Doppler imaging to assess cardiac functions. Evidences of early subclinical systolic and diastolic dysfunctions were found in our patients; they had significantly lower tricuspid E/A ratio; lower S, E′, a′ in both ventricles; reduced mitral E′/a′ (2.13 ± 0.87, 2.94 ± 0.061 respectively, p < 0.001); and increased tricuspid E/e′ (6.09 ± 0.8, 4.15 ± 1.33 respectively, p < 0.001) compared to the controls. Biventricular MPI were within normal limits, yet with a significant difference from the control (p = 0.001). lower E′/a′ in the RV is significantly related to the extraintestinal manifestations (1.5 ± 0.48, 2.16 ± 0.71 respectively, p = 0.009).

Conclusion

Children with CD had subclinical myocardial dysfunction especially in RV which is better detected by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). These dysfunctions are increased with the presence of extraintestinal manifestations.

The effect of Celiac disease on cardiac functions and aortic elasticity parameters in children

AIM

We aimed to investigate the effect of Celiac disease on myocardial functions and aortic elasticity parameters.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty children with Celiac disease and 30 healthy children were enrolled in the study. Both the groups were similar in terms of age and gender. Cardiac functions of all children in the patients and control group were evaluated using conventional transthoracic echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging. Aortic strain, distensibility, and stiffness index were calculated by M-mode echocardiography.

RESULTS

The demographic findings, height, weight, and body mass index of cases were similar among two groups. No statistical difference was found between E wave velocity for conventional transthoracic echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging measurements of the mitral valve; early diastolic flow peak velocity, A wave velocity; late diastolic flow peak velocity; and E/A ratio. Isovolumetric relaxation time and isovolumetric contraction time ratios were statistically different between the groups (p = 0.000, p = 0.000, p = 0.000). The myocardial performance index calculated according to the pulse Doppler measurement results was found to be statistically different between the groups (p = 0.000). There was no statistical difference between the groups in terms of aortic strain, distensibility, and stiffness index.

CONCLUSION

In this study, both conventional transthoracic echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging revealed the affection of the myocardial functions during systole and diastole in children with Celiac disease. Therefore, early follow-up and routine cardiac evaluation of celiac patients may be appropriate due to the increased risk of cardiac affection.

Children with untreated coeliac disease have sub-clinical cardiac dysfunction: a longitudinal observational analysis

INTRODUCTION

We assessed cardiac function (CF) in celiac disease (CD) patients and the effect of gluten-free diet (GFD) on CF.

METHODS

Prospective evaluation of CF using conventional and tissue doppler echocardiography in 50 CD patients (age 4.2 ± 1.1 years) at diagnosis and after a year of GFD (group 1), 100 CD children (group 2; 47 compliant and 53 non-compliant) in follow-up and 25 healthy controls.

RESULTS

Untreated CD (n = 50) children had larger left ventricle end diastolic dimension (35.33 ± 0.87 vs. 32.90 ± 0.91 mm; p = .04), reduced (<55%) left ventricular ejection fraction (20% vs. 0%; p = .01) and a higher (>0.6) myocardial performance index (MPI, 66% vs. 0%; p ≤ .01) as compared to controls. Re-evaluation after one year with good dietary compliance showed changes in isovolumic relaxation time (72.5 ± 4.2 vs. 50.62 ± 2.69; p = .0001) and deceleration time (121.05 ± 10.1 vs. 99.87 ± 8.5; p = .02), reflecting improved cardiac diastolic function. GFD compliant patients had lower MPI than non-compliant (0.60 ± .03 vs. 0.66 ± .08; p = .04), reflecting improvement in load-independent echocardiographic parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

Subclinical cardiac dysfunction is common in CD children at diagnosis. Improvement in echocardiographic parameters occurs with GFD and non-compliant children continue to have persistent cardiac dysfunction.

Cardiovascular involvement in celiac disease

Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune response to ingestion of gluten protein, which is found in wheat, rye, and barley grains, and results in both small intestinal manifestations, including villous atrophy, as well as systemic manifestations. The main treatment for the disease is a gluten-free diet (GFD), which typically results in the restoration of the small intestinal villi, and restoration of other affected organ systems, to their normal functioning. In an increasing number of recently published studies, there has been great interest in the occurrence of alterations in the cardiovascular system in untreated CD. Herein, published studies in which CD and cardiovascular terms appear in the title of the study were reviewed. The publications were categorized into one of several types: (1) articles (including cohort and case-control studies); (2) reviews and meta-analyses; (3) case studies (one to three patient reports); (4) letters; (5) editorials; and (6) abstracts (used when no full-length work had been published). The studies were subdivided as either heart or vascular studies, and were further characterized by the particular condition that was evident in conjunction with CD. Publication information was determined using the Google Scholar search tool. For each publication, its type and year of publication were tabulated. Salient information from each article was then compiled. It was determined that there has been a sharp increase in the number of CD - cardiovascular studies since 2000. Most of the publications are either of the type "article" or "case study". The largest number of documents published concerned CD in conjunction with cardiomyopathy (33 studies), and there have also been substantial numbers of studies published on CD and thrombosis (27), cardiovascular risk (17), atherosclerosis (13), stroke (12), arterial function (11), and ischemic heart disease (11). Based on the published research, it can be concluded that many types of cardiovascular issues can occur in untreated CD patients, but that most tend to resolve on a GFD, often in conjunction with the healing of small intestinal villous atrophy. However, in some cases the alterations are irreversible, underscoring the need for CD screening and treatment when cardiovascular issues arise of unknown etiology.

Left ventricular mechanics are affected in children with celiac disease: A study based on two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography

BACKGROUND

An association between cardiomyopathy and celiac disease has been reported, but not frequently. We examined the effects on cardiac mechanics in children with celiac disease (CD) by two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2DSTE).

METHODS

Eighty-one children with CD were compared with a control group comprising 51 healthy children by echocardiographic examination. Children with CD who had been on gluten-free diet for more than 6 months were divided into two different groups: group 1 was positive for serum antitissue transglutaminase antibody (n=48), and group 2 was negative for serum antitissue transglutaminase antibody (n=33). Cardiac functions were evaluated in all children using conventional echocardiography, tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), and 2DSTE methods.

RESULTS

For children with CD, the mean age and male:female ratio were 10.1±4.0 years and 26/55 (67% female), respectively, which did not differ from the controls. Patients were diagnosed at a mean age of 7.9±4.1 years, and the mean follow-up time was 2.37±2.98 years. Conventional echocardiography and TDI measurements did not differ between groups. The left ventricular longitudinal and radial strains, and strain rate values were significantly lower in patients with CD, particularly in those with positive antitissue transglutaminase antibody compared with the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that 2DSTE is superior to conventional and TDI echocardiography for evaluating subclinical carditis in children with CD.

Cardiac functions assessment in children with celiac disease and its correlation with the degree of mucosal injury: Doppler tissue imaging study

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Celiac disease (CD)-associated cardiologic disorders is a growing concern. However, data regarding cardiac affection in children with CD are few. This study aimed at assessing the subclinical impact of CD on the global myocardial performance in Saudi children with CD using Doppler tissue imaging (DTI).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Conventional two-dimensional echocardiography was performed among 20 Saudi children with CDas well as 20 age and sex-matched healthy controls. DTI were used to determine right ventricular (RV) and left ventricular (LV) Tei indexes. These findings were correlated with the Modified Marsh Classification of the histologic findings in CD.

RESULTS

LV and RV Tei indexes were significantly higher in children with CD than the control group (mean ± standard deviation: 0.47 ± 0.05 vs. 0.31 ± 0.18; P< 0.0005 and 0.51 ± 0.04 vs. 0.32 ± 0.05; P< 0.0001, respectively). RV Tei index was found to be positively correlated with the Modified Marsh Classification of CD (r = 0.7753, P< 0.0001). LV Tei index tended to be more affected in patients with more severe histologic findings, however, such relation did not reach statistical significance (r = 0.2479, P = 0.292). Fractional shortening did not correlate with the Modified Marsh Classification of histologic findings in CD patients (r= -0.11, P = 0.641).

CONCLUSIONS

Subclinical myocardial dysfunction of both ventricles occurs in children with CD. The DTI method appears to be more sensitive than conventional two-dimensional echocardiography in the early detection of myocardial dysfunction in children with CD.

The evaluation of left ventricular functions with tissue doppler echocardiography in adults with celiac disease

BACKGROUND/AIM

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of celiac disease on cardiac functions using tissue Doppler echocardiography (TDE).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The study included 30 patients with celiac disease (CD) and 30 healthy volunteers. Echocardiographic examinations were assessed by conventional echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging. The peak systolic velocity (S'm), early diastolic myocardial peak velocity (E'm), late diastolic myocardial peak velocity (A'm), E'm/A'm ratio, myocardial precontraction time (PCT'm), myocardial contraction time (CT'm), and myocardial isovolumetric relaxation time (IVRT'm), E to E'm ratio were measured.

RESULTS

In pulsed wave Doppler echocardiography, mitral late diastolic flow (A) velocity and E to E'm ratio were significantly higher (P = 0.02 and P = 0,017), E/A ratio was significantly lower (P = 0.008) and IVRT was significantly prolonged (P = 0.014) in patients with CD. In TDE, S'm, E'm, and E'm/A'm ratio were significantly lower, IVRT'm was longer (P = 0.009) from septal mitral annulus and S'm, E'm, E'm/A'm ratio were significantly lower, PCT'm, PCT/ET ratio, IVRT'm were longer, and MPI was higher from lateral mitral annulus in celiac group than controls.

CONCLUSION

Our study confirms that patients with CD have impaired diastolic function. More importantly, we also demonstrated an impairment of myocardial systolic function in patients with CD by TDE. We recommend using TDE in addition to conventional echocardiography parameters for the cardiovascular risk assessment of patients with CD.

Assessment of cardiac functions in infants with cow's milk allergy

BACKGROUND

Cow's milk allergy is the most common food allergy in children, with rates estimated at 1.9% to 4.9%. Clinical phenotypes of cow's milk allergy are varied and involve 1 or more target organs, with the main targets being the skin, respiratory system, and gastrointestinal tract. To date, no studies have investigated detailed cardiac function in children with cow's milk allergy. The current study aimed to investigate cardiac function in infants with cow's milk allergy.

MATERIAL/METHODS

We studied 42 infants with cow's milk allergy and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects. Cardiac functions were evaluated by M-mode, pulsed-wave, and tissue Doppler echocardiography.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in ejection fraction or mitral and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion between the 2 groups. Pulsed-wave Doppler-derived E/A ratios in mitral and tricuspid valves were similar in both groups. Ea/Aa ratios in the left ventricle posterior wall and right ventricle free wall were lower in patients with cow's milk allergy than in the control group. The E/Ea ratio in the left ventricle, isovolumic relaxation time, deceleration time, and right and left ventricular myocardial performance indices were higher in patients in the study group.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study identified reduced early diastolic tissue Doppler velocities in infants with cow's milk allergy.