HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) An erratum has been published Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Fabrizio, A.-L. Articles by Aldo, P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Fabrizio, A.-L. Articles by Aldo, P.

Early textural and functional alterations of left ventricular myocardium in mild hypothyroidism

¹ Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, ² Cardiac and Thoracic Department and ³ Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy

(Correspondence should be addressed to F Aghini-Lombardi; Email: falombard{at}endoc.med.unipi.it)

The aim of the present study was to evaluate cardiac function and texture in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism (sHT) both by conventional and new ultrasonic intramyocardial tissue techniques. sHT was characterized by normal serum free tetraiodotironine and free triiodotironine levels and slightly increased serum TSH level. Twenty-four patients affected by sHT and 24 sex- and age-matched healthy volunteers were studied. All subjects were submitted to conventional two-dimensional (2D)-color Doppler echocardiography, pulsed wave tissue Doppler imaging (PWTDI) for the analysis of the diastolic function, color Doppler myocardial imaging (CDMI) for the analysis of regional strain and strain-rate and integrated backscatter (IBS) for the evaluation of intrinsic contractility and tissue characterization. The results of the present study were: (a) the detection in sHT subjects of a lower cyclic variation index (CVI) indicating an altered myocardial intrinsic contractility; (b) a higher ultrasonic myocardial reflectivity indicating an altered myocardial texture; (c) the detection of lower systolic strain and strain-rate indicating an alteration of myocardial regional deformability; (d) an initial impairment of left ventricular diastolic function indicated by a decrease of peak E mitral flow velocity and an increase of peak A mitral flow velocity. All parameters studied with conventional 2D-echo in sHT patients were comparable with controls, except for a mild alteration in diastolic function. A significant correlation among systo-diastolic modifications detected by CDMI and IBS and serum TSH levels were found. The CVI at septum, the PWDTI S-peak wave and the systolic strain at septum were inversely related to the serum TSH levels. In conclusion, the new intramyocardial ultrasonic techniques confirm and extend the previous knowledge on the effect of the sHT on the heart, allowing the detection of early ultrastructural and regional functional systolic and diastolic abnormalities.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				B. Biondi and D. S. Cooper The Clinical Significance of Subclinical Thyroid Dysfunction Endocr. Rev., February 1, 2008; 29(1): 76 - 131. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. R. Cappola Subclinical Thyroid Dysfunction and the Heart J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., September 1, 2007; 92(9): 3404 - 3405. [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Iqbal, H. Schirmer, P. Lunde, Y. Figenschau, K. Rasmussen, and R. Jorde Thyroid Stimulating Hormone and Left Ventricular Function J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., September 1, 2007; 92(9): 3504 - 3510. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]