Study: Small Heart Syndrome in ME/CFS Patients

This study, reported in Clinical Cardiology (July 2008), found that a considerable number of ME/CFS patients have a small heart.�”Small heart syndrome may contribute to the development of CFS as a constitutional factor predisposing to fatigue, and may be included in the genesis of CFS.”

Background:
Small heart syndrome has previously been reported as neurocirculatory asthenia, associated with a small heart shadow on a chest roentgenogram. This is characterized as weakness or fatigue even after ordinary exertion, palpitation, dyspnea, and fainting, resembling patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Hypothesis:
Small heart syndrome may be prevalent in patients with CFS.

Methods:
The study population consisted of 56 patients (<50 y of age) with CFS, and 38 control subjects. Chest roentgenographic, echocardiographic, and physical examinations were performed.

Results:
Small heart syndrome (cardiothoracic ratio In CFS patients with a small heart (number = 34 of 56)…

• Narrow chest (88%),
• Orthostatic dizziness (44%) [owing to fall in blood pressure upon rising from prone to standing position, for example],
• Foot coldness (41%),
• Pretibial pitting edema (32%) [swelling over the shin that leaves a dent when pressed and released]
• r-kidney palpability (47%) [perceivable by touch]
• And mitral valve prolapse (29%) [doesn�t close snugly]…

Were all significantly more prevalent than in the control group – and also in the CFS patients without small heart syndrome

Echocardiographic examination demonstrated significantly smaller values of both the left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic dimensions and end-systolic, and stroke volume and cardiac indexes in CFS with a small heart, as compared with control subjects with a normal heart size (42% < cardiothoracic ratio < 50%).

Source

Thanks to Personal Plug for including this post in their blog carnival.

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