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Updated: Apr 25, 2026

Implantation of Total Artificial Heart in Congenital Heart Disease
Published on: July 18, 2014
Fatal cardiac involvement complicating antisynthetase syndrome
Stefen Brady1, Sunil Melath2, Renata S Scalco1
1Department of Neuropathology, MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, London, UK.
Abstract:
A 35-year-old Afro-Caribbean woman presented with dyspnoea, urticarial rash and myalgia 1 month after treatment for a community-acquired respiratory tract infection. Investigations revealed raised antisynthetase antibodies, lung fibrosis and an inflammatory myopathy. The patient was diagnosed with antisynthetase syndrome (ASS) and started on immunosuppressive medication. Despite treatment she died 4 weeks after presentation from a fulminant cardiomyopathy. ASS is a rare condition and is not typically associated with a cardiomyopathy. This case report intends to raise awareness that cardiomyopathy is a potentially fatal complication of ASS.
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