Structural and functional changes of the heart and electrical disorders in patients with coronary artery disease with concomitant anemia

The aim of the study: to investigate the effect of concomitant anemia on the features of cardiac remodeling and electrical disorders in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Materials and methods. In total, 89 patients with CAD, stable angina II–III FC were examined (men – 34, women – 55, age – 69 (61; 72) years). All patients were divided into 2 groups: the main group (n = 44) consisted of patients with CAD and anemia, the comparison group (n = 45) – patients with CAD without iron-deficiency anemia. The results of echocardioscopy and 24-hour ECG (Holter) monitoring were analyzed. Results. Left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic and end-systolic volume were higher in the main group by 24.7 % (U = 60.0; P < 0.05) and 25.9 % (U = 53.5, P < 0.05), respectively; end-diastolic and end-systolic left ventricular index also were higher in the main group by 20.2 % (U = 99.5; P < 0.05) and 34.8 % (U = 98.5; P < 0.05), respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the types of LV geometry; however, the left ventricular mass index was significantly higher by 12.0 % in patients of the main group (U = 315.5; P < 0.05). The patients of both groups mostly showed diastolic dysfunction type 1, however, in the main group, there was a tendency to increase the number of patients with diastolic dysfunction type 2 and type 3. In patients of the main group, in the active period, there was a decrease in SDNNi by 31.85 % (U = 216; P < 0.05), VLF by 53.79 % (U = 176; P < 0.05); increase in LF by 60.56 % (U = 53; P < 0.05) and SI by 2.14 times (U = 43.5; P < 0.05). The presence of anemia in patients with CAD caused a twofold increase in the risk of autonomic dysfunction (BP = 2.045; 95 % CI 1.084–3.861; P < 0.05), 1.5 times increase in tachycardia episodes (BP = 1.510; 95 % CI 1.047–2.178; P < 0.05) and 2.2 times increase in myocardial ischemia (BP = 2.173; 95 % CI 1.047–4.512; P < 0.05). Conclusions. Concomitant anemia in patients with coronary artery disease adversely affects the structural and geometric properties of the heart, leads to an overall suppression of heart rate variability, increases the sympathetic tone of the autonomic nervous system in daytime period and the stress index, as well as raises the risk of autonomic dysfunction, tachycardia and myocardial ischemia.