Comprehensive Echocardiographic Detection of Treatment-Related Cardiac Dysfunction in Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer

Background Treatment-related cardiac death is the primary non-cancer cause of mortality in adult survivors of childhood malignancies. Early detection of cardiac dysfunction using modern echocardiographic techniques may identify a high risk subset of survivors for early intervention. Objective To determine the prevalence of cardiac dysfunction in adult survivors of childhood malignancies using state of the art echocardiographic evaluation of cardiac function including strain imaging Methods Echocardiographic assessment included three dimensional (3D) left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), global longitudinal and circumferential myocardial strain and diastolic function, graded per American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) guidelines on 1,820 adult (median age 31 range 18-65 years) survivors of childhood cancer (median time from diagnosis 23 years range10-48 years) exposed to either anthracycline chemotherapy (N=1,050), chest-directed radiotherapy (RT, N=306), or both therapies (N=464). Results Only 5.8% of survivors had an abnormal 3D LVEF (30 Gy, RR 2.39, 95% CI 1.79-3.18) and anthracycline dose >300 mg/m2 (RR 1.72, 95% CI 1.31-2.26). Survivors with metabolic syndrome were twice as likely to have abnormal global longitudinal strain (Rate Ratio RR 1.94, 95% CI 1.66-2.28) as well as abnormal diastolic function (RR 1.68, 95% CI 1.39-2.03), but not abnormal 3D LVEF (RR 1.07, 95% CI 0.74-1.53). Conclusions and Relevance Abnormal global longitudinal strain and abnormal diastolic function are more prevalent than reduced 3D LVEF and are associated with treatment exposure. They may identify a subset of survivors at higher risk for poor clinical cardiac outcome who may benefit from early medical intervention.