Background and purpose: Anthracycline is a topoisomerase-interacting agent that is used in treatment of many cancers. We investigated the effects of anthracycline in adults using conventional echocardiography and pulse tissue Doppler imaging.

Materials and methods: This observational before-after study was performed in 35 patients being recently diagnosed with cancer for whom ANT therapy was planned. Echocardiography studies were performed before chemotherapy and 6 months after initiation of the study. Additionally, troponin I and creatinine kinase-MB (CK-MB) were measured one month after the initiation of chemotherapy.

Results: Six months after anthracycline therapy, Changes were seen in the systolic and diastolic left ventricular (LV) function. LV ejection fraction significantly decreased (P <0.001). Additionally, LV end-diastolic volume, LV end-systolic volume and left atrial diameter significantly increased compared with the baseline measures. According to the tissue Doppler imaging, the mitral annuli early diastolic (e') velocity significantly reduced, and the E/e' ratio (the peak early diastolic velocity) significantly increased.

Conclusion: Altered LV systolic and diastolic function was observed after anthracycline chemotherapy.