Cardiac Structure and Function in Adults with Down Syndrome

Fadi M. Azar, Victor D. Y. Beck, Alice M. Matthews, Daniel E. Forsha and Thessa I. M. Hilgenkamp ()
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Fadi M. Azar: Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA
Victor D. Y. Beck: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA
Alice M. Matthews: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA
Daniel E. Forsha: Division of Cardiology, Ward Family Heart Center, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA
Thessa I. M. Hilgenkamp: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 19, 1-9

Abstract: Various factors may alter the risk for cardiovascular disease in adults with Down syndrome (Ds), yet few studies have examined differences in cardiac physiology in this population. Previous research suggested lower systolic and diastolic function, but inconsistent methodologies and younger samples warrant research in adults with Ds. Our aim is to compare the cardiac structure and function of adults with Ds to age- and sex-matched adults without Ds. Echocardiography was used to assess systolic function, diastolic function, and cardiac structure in n = 19 adults (Ds n = 9, control n = 10). Regarding cardiac structure, adults with Ds had increased left ventricular posterior wall thickness at end-systole compared to adults without Ds ( p = 0.007). Regarding systolic and diastolic function, adults with Ds were found to have lower septal peak systolic annular velocity (S’) ( p = 0.026), lower lateral and septal mitral annular early diastolic velocity (E’) ( p = 0.007 and p = 0.025, respectively), lower lateral peak mitral annular late diastolic velocity (A’) ( p = 0.027), and higher lateral and septal mitral annular early systolic velocity to diastolic velocity ratios (E/e’) ( p = 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively). Differences in both cardiac structure and function were found when comparing adults with Ds to matched adults without Ds. Most of the differences were indicative of worse diastolic function.

Keywords: Down syndrome; cardiac structure; cardiac function; echocardiography (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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