Assessment of left ventricular systolic function in patients with schizophrenia by tissue mitral annular displacement

Objective To assess the left ventricular systolic function in patients with schizophrenia by tissue mitral annular displacement(TMAD) based on two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging(2D-STI). Methods Eighty-three patients with schizophrenia(case group) and seventy healthy volunteers(control group) were enrolled in this study. All the participants received routine echocardiography examinations. Left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) was calculated by biplane Simpson method. Mitral displacement was determined using the TMAD feature of Philips QLAB version 9.TMAD parameters included the maximal displacement of the four points of mitral annulus(TMAD), the middle point of mitral annulus(TMADMidpt) and its ratio to the length of left ventricular at end-diastole(TMAD Midpt%), All data were reported as the average of the measurements of four sites of the mitral annulus. Differences between groups were analyzed using the Student's t test.The relationship of these displacements parameter with LVEF was expressed by Pearson correlation coefficients. Results The LVEF had no significant difference between the two groups(P0.05). Compared with the control group, the TMAD, TMADMidpt and TMAD Midp% were significantly decreased in patients with schizophrenia(P0.05). All these three parameters correlated well with EF in each group(control group: r=0.643, 0.663, 0.707; case group: r=0.620, 0.634, 0.663 respectively, P0.001). Conclusion TMAD could indicate the early change of left ventricular systolic function in patients with schizophrenia sensitively. It has a certain value in assessment of the left ventricular systolic function in patients with schizophrenia.