Evaluation of left ventricular function in long-term survivors of childhood Hodgkin disease

Background Data on the presence of myocardial abnormalities in long‐term Hodgkin disease survivors are contradictory. The purpose of this study was to determine if myocardial performance index (MPI) was capable of discovering cardiac abnormalities. Procedure Echocardiographic evaluation was performed in 31 survivors of Hodgkin disease (mean age 17.0 years), who received doxorubicin as part of chemotherapeutic treatment (median dose 164.8 ± 42.5 mg/m2). Control group comprised 22 healthy subjects (mean age 16.7 years). Results Peak A velocity was increased (P = 0.004) and peak E/A velocity ratio was lower (P = 0.002) in patients compared to controls. Mean isovolumetric contraction time was longer in patients than in controls (P = 0.0001). Ejection time was significantly shorter in patients than in the controls (P = 0.001). Consequently, the MPI was significantly greater in the patients than in the controls (P = 0.0001). Abnormal MPI was found in 25/31 patients (83%). Conclusions The Doppler‐derived index of combined systolic and diastolic myocardial performance demonstrates the presence of subtle cardiac abnormalities in the majority of Hodgkin disease survivors. Pediatr Blood Cancer © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.