Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 September 2014
Background: Anthracyclines are effective medications for childhood cancer. Their limitation is the risk of cardiomyopathy. Although diastolic dysfunction has been described in patients who received anthracyclines, cardiac monitoring has focused on systolic function, which is abnormal in up to 41% of the patients. We conducted a study to assess diastolic function utilising transmitral inflow Doppler velocities and tissue Doppler imaging in anthracycline-treated children 5 years post-therapy. Methods: This was a retrospective study on 63 anthracycline-treated patients. Echocardiographic parameters included peak early and late transmitral inflow Doppler velocities (E, A), E/A ratio, E deceleration time, and tissue Doppler imaging early and late diastolic mitral annulus velocities (E′, A′), E/E′ ratio, and E′/A′ ratio. Results: All indices of diastolic function that we measured were normal in the anthracycline-treated patients. Conclusion: We conclude that diastolic function assessed by transmitral inflow Doppler velocities and tissue Doppler imaging is normal in anthracycline-treated children 5 years after completion of treatment. Further longitudinal study is needed to determine whether diastolic function becomes abnormal with time in this patient population.
Dr Harahsheh was a fellow at Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America at the time of conducting this study.
Drs Pettersen and L’Ecuyer were attending physicians at Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America at the time of conducting this study.