Comprehensive noninvasive assessment of cardiac involvement in limited systemic sclerosis

• Published in: Arthritis and rheumatism Vol. 39; no. 7; p. 1138
• Main Authors: Candell-Riera, J, Armadans-Gil, L, Simeón, C P, Castell-Conesa, J, Fonollosa-Pla, V, García-del-Castillo, H, Vaqué-Rafart, J, Vilardell, M, Soler-Soler, J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.07.1996
• Subjects: Adult; Echocardiography, Doppler; Female; Heart Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Heart Diseases - epidemiology; Heart Diseases - etiology; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Mitral Valve Insufficiency - complications; Mitral Valve Insufficiency - epidemiology; Mitral Valve Stenosis - complications; Mitral Valve Stenosis - epidemiology; Myocardial Ischemia - complications; Myocardial Ischemia - diagnostic imaging; Myocardial Ischemia - epidemiology; Pericardial Effusion - complications; Pericardial Effusion - epidemiology; Prevalence; Prospective Studies; Radionuclide Imaging; Scleroderma, Systemic - complications; Ventricular Function
• ISSN: 0004-3591
• DOI: 10.1002/art.1780390710

To assess cardiovascular abnormalities in patients with limited systemic sclerosis (SSc), using noninvasive cardiac techniques. Sixty-three patients with limited SSc were prospectively evaluated with Doppler echocardiography and thallium-201 perfusion scintigraphy after a cold-stress test and radionuclide ventriculography. In the patients with limited SSc, there was a significantly high prevalence of abnormal left- and right-diastolic function parameters (P = 0.001 and P = 0.0002, respectively), thickening of papillary muscles (46%; P = 0.003), and mild mitral regurgitation (49%; P < 0.0001), compared with controls. Systolic pulmonary arterial hypertension was detected in 9 patients (14%), and pericardial effusion in 11 patients (18%). In 64% of patients with limited SSc, an ischemic response was detected on the thallium cold-stress scan; similarly, an ischemic response was detected in 57% of patients with primary Raynaud's phenomenon (P < 0.0001 versus controls). Although the frequency of cardiovascular symptoms was low in patients with limited SSc, a significant rate of cardiovascular abnormalities was found by noninvasive cardiac techniques.