Assessment of Cardiac Functions in Leprosy Patients by Echocardiography

Cardiac and peripheral hemodynamics of 30 leprosy patients (22 men, 8 women, average 47±2 years) were investigated by using B-mode, M-mode, and continuous Doppler echocardiograms and compared with a control group (CG) which consisted of 20 healthy individuals (15 men, 5 women, average 45±2 years). The patients had been admitted to a local lepra hospital but in whom the lepra treatment had been discontinued 1-20 years previously. They were considered by dermatologists as having lepra sequelaer. In leprosy patients it was observedthat, as compared to the CG, left ventricular diastolic dimension was hugher (46.63±0.59 mm, 44.35±1.17 mm, p<0.05), early diastolic peak flow velocity (EVP) lower (62.86±1.74 cm/sec, 67.90±2.39 cm) sec, p<0.05), late diastolic peak flow velocity (AVP) was elevated (68.13±2.52 cm/sec, 61.75±2.33 cm/sec, p<0.05), E/A ratio diminished (0.95±0.04, 1.12±0.05, p<0.01), early diastolic mean flow velocity (EVM) was decreased (12.16±0.54 cm/sec, 13.50±0.51 cm/sec, p<0.05), late diastolic mean flow velocity (AVM) increased (13.73±0.43 cm/sec, 11.45±0.61 cm/sec, p<0.005), atrial index raised (0.53±0.01, 0.45±0.01, p<0.0005), EVM integral decreased (9.50±0.48 cm, 11.21±0.50 cm, p<0.025), AVM integral higher (10.71±0.41 cm, 9.50±0.55 cm, p<0.05), and EVM integral/AVM integral ratio was decreased (0.89±0.03, 1.20±0.03, p<0.0005). Thus, left ventricular diastolic function parameters were impaired, but parameters of systolic and peripheral hemodynamics were not affected in leprosy patients.