Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) associated with SSA antibody in primary Sjögren syndrome

Abstract A 33-year-old Japanese woman was diagnosed with primary Sjögren syndrome (SS) in 1995. At this time, SSA antibody had not been detected by the Oucterlony or EIA methods. Two years later, the patient developed dyspnea. A chest X-ray showed cardiomegaly. An echocardiogram indicated severe diffuse hypokynesis of the cardiac wall with a left ventricular ejection fraction of 32%. Positive SSA antibody (over 500 u/ml) was noted in her serum as measured by the EIA method. We considered her cardiac manifestation to be dilated cardiomyopathy associated with primary SS.