Objective: Epidemiological data suggest there is an increased risk of dying from heart disease among patients with Klinefelter syndrome (KS). Due to high prevalence of hypogonadism and metabolic syndrome, we speculated that patients with KS may have subclinical changes in the left ventricular function. Therefore, the aim was to assess left ventricular long axis function by tissue Doppler echocardiography in patients with KS and relate these findings to the metabolic status and testosterone levels.
Design: Cross-sectional study. Out-patient clinic.
Patients: We investigated 25 unselected patients with KS, recruited from endocrine and fertility clinics. Twenty-five age-matched males served as controls.
Measurements: Left ventricular systolic long axis function (velocities and strain rate) assessed by tissue Doppler echocardiography related to free testosterone, fasting values of plasma glucose, insulin, homeostasis model assessment (HOMA)-index, cholesterol and triglycerides in addition to dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan derived assessment of truncal body fat.
Results: The long axis function was significantly reduced in patients with KS (peak systolic velocities 4.4 +/- 1.3 vs. 5.3 +/- 1.0 cm/s, P < 0.01 and strain rate -1.3 +/- 0.3 vs.-1.6 +/- 0.3 s(-1), P < 0.01). However, the ventricular dysfunction was mainly attributed KS patients with metabolic syndrome. The peak systolic velocities were significantly correlated to truncal body fat (r = -0.72, P < 0.01) and free testosterone (r = 0.63, P < 0.01), but uncorrelated to plasma glucose, insulin and HOMA-index.
Conclusion: Systolic long axis function is decreased in patients with KS and metabolic syndrome. The decrease in myocardial systolic function was significantly related to truncal body fat and hypogonadism, but not correlated to insulin sensitivity.