1 Introduction
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a diffuse connective tissue disease that is characterized by an inflammatory immune response. The mortality rate of SLE is increasing year by year owing to its propensity to induce severe cardiovascular damage [1, 2]. Echocardiography is widely used in the detection of cardiac structure and function because of its unique advantages such as its dynamic and non-invasive nature; however, it cannot detect changes in cardiac function in the early stage of disease progression[3]. As a new technique that is superior to conventional two-dimensional echocardiography, three-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (3D-STI) can be used to evaluate left ventricular systolic function in the early stage of disease progression[4]. The purpose of this study was to use 3D-STI to detect the effect of SLE on left ventricular systolic function, to explore its application value, and to provide an objective diagnostic basis for clinical use.
Materials and Methods