Does multiple sclerosis affect cardiac function?

Abstract

Background: Despite the fact that MS causes functional abnormalities in several organs of the body such as the urinary bladder, lungs, the gastrointestinal tract and muscles, the effect of MS on cardiac function remains unclear. There are only a limited number of studies investigating the left or right ventricles and these findings are conflicting (1–6). Since research on the cardiac function of MS patients, might have an important clinical and public health implication, this study aimed to compare cardiac function between MS patients and healthy controls (HC) by transthoracic two-dimensional Doppler echocardiography. Methods: Cardiac function was assessed in 52 MS patients and 24 HC’s. Echocardiographic and myocardial velocity imaging (MVI) data was acquired using a 2.5 MHz probe on a Vivid 7 ultrasound (GE Vingmed), investigating LV volumes, global LVEF, early and late diastolic transmitral flow, their ratio, the early filling deceleration time, isovolumetric relaxation time/duration of late diastolic flow and pulmonary venous curves (to assess diastolic function). In addition, peak early filling myocardial velocities of the medial and lateral mitral annulus from the apical four-chamber view was acquired to calculate E/E′ for the estimation of LV end-diastolic filling pressures. All images were collected by the same researcher and all measurements were performed by the same cardiologist on frozen images from two to five cardiac cycles using the available software of the system. All measurements were performed according to recommendations of the American Society of Echocardiographists. Results: So far, all images of MS patients and HC’s are collected and during summer, all measurements will be performed. The cardiac function results will be presented at the RIMS SIG Mobility 2015 meeting.