Peculiarities of the structural and functional state of the heart in patients with arrhythmias depending on the severity of cognitive disorders

Abstract

Background. The purpose of our work was to find out the dependence of changes in the cognitive sphere on the features of the structural and functional state of the heart and central hemodynamics in patients with arrhythmias. Material and methods. We have examined 139 patients with different clinical forms of arrhythmias. All of them underwent extended neuropsychological testing and central hemodynamic studies. The state of central hemodynamics was assessed by an ultrasound examination of the heart. The state of intracardiac hemodynamics, structural changes in various parts of the heart were evaluated; based on this, the type of heart remodeling was determined. Correlations of hemodynamic indicators with the results of neuropsychological testing were evaluated. Results. In patients with mild cognitive disorders (CD), the left ventricular myocardial contractility index did not differ significantly from that in patients without CD, but in people with moderate CD it was 9.6 % lower (p = 0.044). With moderate CD, the dilatation of the left parts of the heart increased (end-diastolic volume — by 16.5%, p =0.049; left atrium — by 9.9 %, p = 0.049), which, along with increased hypertrophy of the interventricular septum by 12.8 % (p = 0.048) and of the left ventricular posterior wall by 12.9 % (p = 0.048), led to an increase in the pulmonary artery pressure by 24.8 % (p = 0.015). Among patients with CD, concentric (42.2 %) and eccentric (22.6 %) left ventricular hypertrophy was more often detected (p = 0.048 and p = 0.027); in those without CD, concentric remodeling of the left ventricle prevailed (p = 0.037). In patients with mild CD, higher stroke volume was recorded — by 8.3 % (p = 0.049) compared to those without CD. However, according to indicators of cardiac output, cardiac index and total peripheral vascular resistance, differences were unreliable (p > 0.05). Patients with moderate CD reported an increase in stroke volume and cardiac output by 7.6 (p = 0.043) and 14.9 % (p = 0.014), respectively, compared to those without CD. Indicators of central hemodynamics had the greatest impact on the sphere of attention, regulatory functions, visual-spatial and mnestic deficits. The highest odds ratio for the development of CD were found for left ventricular ejection fraction (2.52, 95% confidence interval: 1.82–3.29, p < 0.001). Conclusions. The identified associations of cognitive dysfunction, central hemodynamics and heart remodeling are important for optimizing an individualized approach to patient management and predicting the development of CD.