Left Ventricular Systolic and Diastolic Functions in Patients With Sickle Cell Anemia.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions in patients with sickle cell anemia. Fifty-four patients (34 male, 20 female, mean age 22.6 +/- 7.3 years) and 23 healthy persons (12 male, 11 female, mean age 26.7 +/- 6.8 years) were studied. After clinical examination and routine biochemical evaluation by a hematologist, patients with sickle cell anemia were admitted to the study. M-mode and 2-dimensional and Doppler echocardiographic measurements of patients and controls were performed according to criteria of the American Echocardiography Society. The values of the patient groups were compared with the values of normal healthy subjects (controls). Left ventricular systolic and diastolic diameters of sickle cell patients were greater than those of controls (p < 0.001). All of the sickle cell anemia patients had reduced systolic cardiac function (EF: 0.57 +/- 0.1 vs 0.63 +/- 0.06 and FS: 0.30 +/- 0.06 vs 0.34 +/- 0.04, p < 0.02) and abnormal diastolic left ventricular function parameters compared with the control group (IRT: 114 +/- 20 msec vs 65 +/- 7 msec, p < 0.0001; E/A ratio: 1.2 +/- 0.5 vs 1.6 +/- 0.04, p < 0.01). Left ventricular mass (LVM) was greater in patients than in controls (222 +/- 78 g vs 177 +/- 46 g, p < 0.01). Left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions were abnormal in patients with sickle cell anemia, and the left ventricular mass was greater in the patients compared with controls.