Cardiac involvement in patients with Wegener's granulomatosis
S Morelli1, A M Gurgo Di Castelmenardo, F Conti
1Istituto Di Clinica Medica I Università La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
Insights
Cardiac involvement is common in Wegener's granulomatosis (WG), a systemic vasculitis. Echocardiography revealed frequent heart valve abnormalities, particularly aortic valve insufficiency, necessitating routine cardiac screening in WG patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Rheumatology
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) is a rare systemic necrotizing vasculitis.
- Cardiac involvement in WG is infrequently reported.
- Understanding cardiac manifestations is crucial for patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe echocardiographic findings in patients with Wegener's granulomatosis.
- To assess the frequency and type of cardiac abnormalities in WG.
- To highlight the importance of cardiac evaluation in WG.
Main Methods:
- Nine patients diagnosed with WG underwent comprehensive transthoracic echocardiography.
- Standard echocardiographic views including M-mode, 2D, Doppler, and color-Doppler were utilized.
- Detailed analysis of cardiac structure and function was performed.
Main Results:
- All nine patients exhibited cardiac abnormalities.
- Heart valve disease was prevalent, affecting eight patients.
- Severe aortic valve insufficiency requiring surgical intervention was noted in three patients.
Conclusions:
- Cardiac involvement is a common finding in Wegener's granulomatosis.
- Aortic valve abnormalities occur with high frequency in WG patients.
- Routine echocardiographic assessment is recommended for early detection and management of cardiac complications in WG.
Abstract:
Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) is a systemic necrotizing vasculitis, which could potentially affect any organ system. However, there have only been a few reports on cardiac involvement. We described the echocardiographic findings in nine patients affected by WG. A complete M-mode, two-dimensional, Doppler and color-Doppler transthoracic echocardiogram was performed in nine patients (seven females and two males) affected by WG. In each patient, cardiac abnormality, for example, valvular damage, left ventricular global systolic dysfunction, or pericardial effusion, was detected. In particular, heart valve disease was found in eight patients, and in three cases, aortic valve insufficiency, which was severe enough to require surgical valve replacement, was observed. Cardiac involvement in patients with WG is common. In particular, there is a high frequency of aortic valve abnormalities. Thus, an echocardiographic study should be routinely performed.
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