[Heart defects in rheumatoid arthritis patients (the results of a multiyear prospective clinico-echocardiographic

Terapevticheskii Arkhiv
|January 1, 1994
PubMed

Insights

Rheumatoid arthritis patients have a 7.9% risk of developing valvular heart disease, often diagnosed via echocardiography. Early detection and consistent antirheumatic therapy are crucial for managing this complication in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Rheumatology
  • Clinical Medicine

Background:

  • Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease.
  • Valvular heart disease (VHD) is a potential complication.
  • Long-term monitoring of RA patients is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the lifetime diagnosis of VHD in RA patients.
  • To determine the incidence and types of VHD in RA.
  • To evaluate the role of echocardiography in early VHD diagnosis.

Main Methods:

  • Long-term clinico-echocardiographic investigation.
  • Follow-up of 214 RA patients over 18 years.
  • Diagnosis and classification of valvular heart lesions.

Main Results:

  • VHD was detected in 7.9% (17/214) of RA patients.
  • Most VHD diagnoses occurred after RA diagnosis.
  • Common VHD types included mitral stenosis, aortic stenosis, and valve incompetence.

Conclusions:

  • VHD is a significant concern in RA, particularly in progressive, seropositive cases.
  • Prospective echocardiographic screening aids early VHD diagnosis in RA patients.
  • Continuous antirheumatic therapy is vital to prevent VHD progression in RA.

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