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[Cardiovascular involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus: report of two cases]
Beata Wozakowska-Kapłon1, Marianna Janion, Lidia Dudek
1Swietokrzyskie Centrum Kardiologii w Kielcach.
Insights
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can cause serious heart problems, including myocarditis and pulmonary hypertension. Early diagnosis and treatment improve outcomes for cardiovascular involvement in SLE patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Rheumatology
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Cardiovascular complications significantly impact mortality and morbidity in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).
- Echocardiography aids in identifying cardiac manifestations like myocarditis, myocardial dysfunction, valvular disease, pericardial disease, and pulmonary hypertension in SLE patients.
Observation:
- Two cases highlight cardiac involvement in SLE: a young man with acute myocarditis and heart failure, and a woman with SLE and mitral valvular dysfunction.
- Pulmonary hypertension was noted in both patients, potentially due to vasculopathy, vasculitis, or lung disease associated with SLE.
Findings:
- Systemic lupus erythematosus presents with diverse cardiac abnormalities, including myocarditis, valvular dysfunction, and pulmonary hypertension.
- These cardiac manifestations can be initial presentations of active SLE or develop during the disease course.
Implications:
- Improved diagnostic tools enhance the detection of cardiac involvement in SLE.
- Advances in treatment have led to better prognoses for SLE patients with cardiovascular system involvement.
Abstract:
Cardiac abnormalities has been receiving increased attention in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Cardiovascular system involvement has been found to have a substantial effect on mortality and morbidity in patients with SLE [1]. Recent diagnostic methods using echocardiography examination have allowed the delineation of cardiac manifestations such as myocarditis and myocardial dysfunction, valvular disease, pericardial disease or pulmonary hypertension. A report of two cases is presented: 23-year-old man with acute myocarditis with left ventricular failure and pulmonary oedema as a initial presentation of active SLE, and 51-year-old woman with SLE, antiphospholipid antibodies, with history of cerebral embolic infarction, TIA and venous thrombosis and with mitral valvular dysfunction in course of nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis. Pulmonary hypertension has been recognised in both patients probably as a result of vasculaopathy and intimal proliferation, vasculitis, thromboembolic disease or parenchymal lung disease in SLE. Recent advances in diagnosis and treatment have substantially improved the prognosis of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and cardiovascular system involvement [2].