Assessment of heart involvement

Cardiac involvement frequently occurs in systemic sclerosis (SSc), contributing to the occurrence of symptoms, namely dyspnoea, fatigue, palpitations, and in some instances to the clinical evolution and prognosis of the disease. A thorough baseline screening of heart functioning and appropriate foll...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Clinical and experimental rheumatology 2003, Vol.21 (3 Suppl 29), p.S24-S28
Main Authors: Ferri, C, Emdin, M, Nielsen, H, Bruhlmann, P
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Heart Diseases - diagnosis
Heart Diseases - etiology
Humans
Rheumatology - methods
Rheumatology - standards
Scleroderma, Systemic - complications
Scleroderma, Systemic - diagnosis
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Summary:Cardiac involvement frequently occurs in systemic sclerosis (SSc), contributing to the occurrence of symptoms, namely dyspnoea, fatigue, palpitations, and in some instances to the clinical evolution and prognosis of the disease. A thorough baseline screening of heart functioning and appropriate follow-up monitoring is therefore mandatory in all SSc patients. This consists of various simple, non-invasive ambulatory diagnostic procedures (visit, electrocardiogram, chest X-ray, Doppler-bidimensional echocardiogram), which provide information on the presence of rhythm and conduction disturbances, cardiac morphology and function, as well as on the possible presence of pulmonary hypertension (PH). When needed, added tests may be carried out, including long-term ambulatory electrocardiographic recording, assessment of cardiopulmonary performance by the six-minute walking test or cardiopulmonary stress test, cardiac catheterization (mandatory to confirm and better estimate PH), cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, and nuclear studies of myocardial function and perfusion.
ISSN:0392-856X