Evaluation of systolic and diastolic performance of the left ventricle after chemotherapy with anthracyclines and cardioprotection with Lisinopril and Rosuvastatin

Abstract

Aim. We have assessed prospectively by Doppler echocardiography the systolic and diastolic function of the left ventricle in cancer patients treated with anthracyclines, to whom we adminstrated cardioprotection with Lisinopril and Rosuvastatin.

Method. We evaluated 31 patients with different types of malignancies treated with a maximal 450 mg/m² dose of epirubicin, who received the cardioprotective treatement, and 26 patients with same doses of epirubicin, but without cardioprotective treatement. The systolic function of the left ventricle was evaluated by the ejection fraction and the diastolic function by the parameters of the transmitral flow: maximum velocity of wave E and A, the Emax/Amax ratio, pressure half time (PHT) and isovolemic relaxation time (IVRT). The measurements were taken before and after chimiotherapy.

Results. The diastolic function parameters in patients without cardioprotec-tive treatement were statistically significantly altered as compared to patients with cardioprotective treatment (p<0.001), without statistically significant difference of the systolic function between the 2 groups (p=0.21). In the cardioprotection group the diastolic dysfunction was less preeminent than in the other group, with a statistically significant difference for the Emax/Amax ratio (p=0.02) and PHT (p<0.01).

Conclusions. We noticed a beneficial effect of the cardioprotective treatment with Lisinopril and Rosuvastatin on left ventricle diastolic function of the cancer patients treated with epirubicin, without significant influence upon its systolic function.