Assessment of Ventricular Function Using Tissue Doppler Imaging in Kawasaki Disease

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate ventricular functional changes in Kawasaki disease using tissue Doppler echocardiographic measures with conventional echocardiographic measures. METHODS: Tissue Doppler imaging and conventional Doppler echocardiography were performed in 69 patients with Kawasaki disease and 39 healthy children. Peak velocities of systolic(Sa) and early(Ea), late(Aa) diastolic motion of mitral annulus were obtained at the lateral and septal side from apical 4 chamber view. RESULTS: Sa(7.7+/-1.8 cm/s vs 8.8+/-2.1 cm/s, P=0.01) and Ea(15.7+/-3.2 cm/s vs 17.2+/-3.3 cm/s, P=0.03) measured at lateral mitral annulus were significantly lower in patients with Kawasaki disease. Aa(7.0+/-2.0cm/s vs 6.2+/-1.3 cm/s, P=0.01) measured at septal mitral annulus were statistically higher in patients with Kawasaki disease. There was no significant difference in coronary arteriopathy patients compared with non-coronary arteriopathy patients in Kawasaki disease. In conventional mitral and pulmonary venous flow velocities, there was significant difference of E in Kawasaki disease patients. The ratio of E/Ea and flow propagation velocity(Vp) demonstrated difference in Kawasaki disease patients. CONCLUSION: Peak mitral annular velocities obtained by tissue Doppler imaging were significantly altered in acute phase of Kawasaki disease. Tissue Doppler imaging with conventional Doppler echocardiography can be a promising method for evaluation of ventricular function in patients with Kawasaki disease.