[The myocardiopathies of dermatomyositis and periarteritis nodosa]

Myocardial involvement was indicated by isolated findings (especially on the ECG) without corresponding functional disorders in one third of cases of dermatomyositis. Rapidly fatal heart failure occurred rarely in this disease, and was noteworthy for a QS complex in the central precordial leads, and for the presence of intracardiac thromboses which could give rise to emboli. Terminal cardiac failure was the rule in cases of periarteritis nodosa, which is a much rarer disease; this occurrence was secondary to hypertension. The most characteristic lesions were nodular coronary arteritis and disseminated myocarditis due to the arteriolar lesions.