Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 1, 2026
Imaging Features of Systemic Sclerosis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease
Published on: June 16, 2020
Cardiac complications in systemic sclerosis: early diagnosis and treatment
Liu-Yan Nie1, Xiao-Dong Wang1,2, Ting Zhang1
1Department of Rheumatology, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, China.
Insights
Systemic sclerosis can cause serious heart problems, leading to sudden cardiac death. Early diagnosis using advanced imaging like cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is crucial for better management and improved patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Rheumatology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a heterogeneous autoimmune disease affecting multiple organs.
- Cardiac involvement in SSc poses a significant risk, particularly for sudden cardiac death in diffuse cutaneous SSc.
- Understanding cardiac complications is vital for managing SSc patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of cardiac complications in Systemic Sclerosis.
- To highlight the role of non-contrast cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) in early diagnosis.
- To summarize novel therapeutic approaches for cardiac involvement in SSc.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature search of Medline and Embase up to July 2019.
- Keywords included Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) and cardiology-related terms.
- Inclusion of English and Chinese articles based on title, abstract, and full-text review.
Main Results:
- Cardiac manifestations in SSc are diverse, including arrhythmias, pericardial effusion, myocardial dysfunction, and valvular disease.
- These cardiac complications are poor prognostic indicators, associated with high mortality and reduced quality of life.
- Non-invasive imaging, especially CMR, enhances early diagnosis of cardiac issues in SSc.
Conclusions:
- Cardiac complications are a critical aspect of SSc, increasing the risk of sudden cardiac death.
- Early diagnosis and prompt treatment are essential for improving outcomes in SSc patients with cardiac involvement.
- Further research is needed for improved management strategies for cardiac complications in SSc.
Objective:
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a remarkably systemic heterogeneous connective tissue disease with many organs involved. The heart is one of the major organs involved, carrying the threat of sudden cardiac death, especially in diffuse cutaneous SSc. This review summarizes the pathophysiology, types, new diagnostic approaches, and imaging and novel therapies of primary cardiac complications while underlining the effects of recently developed non-contrast cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) in early diagnosis.
Data Sources:
Medline and Embase were searched for articles published up to July 2019. A combination of Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms and keywords pertaining to SSc ("Scleroderma, Systemic" OR "Systemic sclerosis" OR' SSc"), AND cardiology ("cardiology" OR "heart" OR "cardiac") were applied to the search strategies.
Study Selection:
Literature was mainly printed in English and Chinese about cardiac complications in systemic sclerosis. After selected simply on the title and abstract, the articles were included for the full text. Article type was not limited.
Results:
Relevant cardiac manifestations are complex, including arrhythmias, pericardial effusion, myocardial dysfunction, and valvular diseases. Even though the symptoms of cardiac complications are well known, unfortunately, they appear to be poor prognostic factors. As systemic sclerosis with cardiac complications has a high mortality rate and patients might have a poor quality of life, it is essential to promote early diagnosis and treatment. With the advent of non-invasive imaging techniques, such as CMR, early diagnosis of cardiac complications in SSc is becoming more effective.
Conclusions:
Cardiac complications play an essential role in SSc and carry the threat of sudden cardiac death. More basic and clinical studies are warranted to develop better management of cardiac involvement in patients with SSc.
More Related Videos
14:24Percutaneous Contrast Echocardiography-guided Intramyocardial Injection and Cell Delivery in a Large Preclinical Model
Published on: January 21, 2018
09:16Isolation and Characterization of Cardiac Mesenchymal Stromal Cells from Endomyocardial Bioptic Samples of Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy Patients
Published on: February 28, 2018
Related Concept Videos
01:29Cardiomyopathy III: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
01:29Cardiomyopathy V: Interprofessional Care
01:29Cardiomyopathy IV: Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
01:30Cardiomyopathy II: Dilated Cardiomyopathy
01:21Rheumatic Heart Disease III: Medical Management
01:22Rheumatic Heart Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies