Evaluation of Electrocardiographic and Echocardiographic Findings In Patients Diagnosed with Polycythemia Vera and Essential Thrombocythemia

Abstract

Background/Aims: Polycythemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocythemia (ET) are chronic myeloproliferative diseases. Along with the increase in myeloproliferative cell lines, they can cause various clinical outcomes such as arterial and venous thrombosis, pulmonary hypertension, and myocardial infarction. This study was designed to evaluate the cardiac effects of these diseases via electrocardiography and echocardiography. Methods: A total of 50 patients with a diagnosis of PV, 50 patients with a diagnosis of ET, and 50 healthy individuals as a control group were included in this study. Data on patient demographics were recorded in all subjects. All patients and control subjects had electrocardiography (ECG) recordings and routine transthoracic echocardiographic examination. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) was assessed with a Holter blood pressure device. Results: In total, 50 PV patients, 50 ET patients, and 50 control group were included in the study. The demographic characteristics of the PV, ET and control groups were similar. The PR interval was significantly shorter in control subjects than in PV and ET patients (p:0.007, p:0.024). Although the measured values were within normal limits, diastolic posterior wall thickness was significantly lower in the control group compared to PV and ET patients (p:0.019, p:0.009). PWV was significantly higher in ET patients compared to the control group (p:0.012). Conclusion: In this study, evaluating the effects of PV and ET on electrocardiography and transthoracic echocardiography; ECG parameters used to predict ventricular arrhythmias (QT, QTc, Tp-Te, Tp-Te/QT) and Pulmonary Artery Pressure showed no significant change, in opposition to existing literature. Nonetheless, similar to previous publications, PV and ET were found to negatively affect the diastolic function parameters on transthoracic echocardiography. While the aortic stiffness was significantly higher in ET patients compared to the control group, no significant difference was noted between PV patients and control subjects in terms of aortic stiffness.