Use of echocardiography to monitor myocardial damage during anthracycline chemotherapy

BACKGROUND: Anthracycline-related cardiotoxicity has a poor prognosis; therefore, early detection of any change in LV function is critical. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the two-dimensional speckle tracking technique for the early detection of cardiac toxicity after low-dose anthracycline chemotherapy in the Chinese population. METHODS: Forty breast cancer patients were treated by chemotherapy using anthracycline for 4-6 cycles. Patients were examined by echocardiography before chemotherapy (T0) and after the second (T2), fourth (T4), and sixth (T6) cycle. LV ejection fraction (LVEF), LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) and endocardium, mid-myocardium, and epicardium global longitudinal strain (GLS-Endo, GLS-Mid, and GLS-Epi). Additionally, global circumferential strain (GCS), RV global longitudinal strain (RVGLS), and LA global longitudinal strain (LAGLS) were evaluated. RESULTS: Left ventricular ejection fraction was significantly reduced at T4 (P 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: LV stratified strains and strain of the segments supplied by the left anterior descending coronary artery are more sensitive to the cardiac toxicity of anthracycline.