Myocardial dysfunction measured by tissue Doppler echocardiography in children with primary arterial hypertension

BACKGROUND AND AIM: To evaluate myocardial function with the use of tissue Doppler echocardiography in children with primary hypertension. METHODS: A total of 64 subjects (34 with hypertension, 30 control) underwent echocardiographic evaluation of systolic and diastolic function with the use of standard and tissue Doppler echocardiography parameters. RESULTS: The left ventricular myocardial performance index was higher in children with hypertension (0.46 ± 0.08 vs. 0.35 ± 0.03; p < 0.01). The value of the A wave was higher in the hypertensive children group (0.59 ± 0.12 m/s vs. 0.49 ± 0.09 m/s; p < 0.01), while the E/A ratio was significantly lower in this group (1.58 ± 0.31 vs. 1.77 ± 0.28; p < 0.01). The values of isovolumetric relaxation time and deceleration time were significantly higher in patients with blood pressure elevation. The velocity of mitral flow propagation was lower (0.61 ± 0.08 m/s vs. 0.72 ± 0.10 m/s; p < 0.01) and E/Vp ratio was higher (1.50 ± 0.27 vs. 1.21 ± 0.23; p < 0.01) in hypertensive children. Evaluation of the left ventricle function with the use of tissue Doppler echocardiography showed significantly worse values of S' and E' septal, and S' and E' lateral in hypertensive children. The value of septal E'/A' ratio was lower in children with hypertension (1.52 ± 0.24 vs. 1.69 ± 0.25; p < 0.01), while the value of this index for lateral wall was similar. The values of E/E' septal and E/E' lateral were higher in patients with hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: In children with primary arterial hypertension, with the use of tissue Doppler echocardiography there are significantly lower values of diastolic and systolic parameters observed, which may be a sign of myocardial function deterioration.