DOPPLER EVALUATION OF LEFT-VENTRICULAR DIASTOLIC FILLING IN BEHCETS-DISEASE

Although cardiac involvement such as pericarditis, myocarditis, corona ry arteritis and valvular disease in Behcet's disease occurs, few stud ies have assessed left ventricular diastolic function. This study asse sses the prevalence of both systolic and diastolic left ventricular dy sfunction in patients with Behcet's disease who have no clinical cardi ac manifestations. Twenty-two patients (12 women and 10 men, mean age 34 +/- 2.4 years) underwent full clinical examination, electrocardiogr aphy, M-mode, two-dimensional, and Doppler echocardiography. The mean disease duration was 5 +/- 4.7 years (range, 1 month-16 years). An age and sex-matched control group of 20 healthy subjects was also studied . Prolonged isovolumic relaxation time, prolonged deceleration time, r eversal of the early and late peak transmitral diastolic flow velociti es, late peak transmitral diastolic flow velocities (E/A ratio) and in creased atrial filling fraction were noted in five patients. It is con cluded that left ventricular dysfunction occurs frequently in patients with Behcet's disease and Doppler echocardiography may be valuable in detecting diastolic filling abnormalities as an early sign of cardiac involvement.