Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 21, 2026

Scanning Electron Microscopy of Macerated Tissue to Visualize the Extracellular Matrix
Published on: June 14, 2016
[The sclerodermic myocardiopathies]
Insights
Sclerodermic cardiomyopathy, a cardiac complication of scleroderma, often leads to heart failure and has a poor prognosis. Early ECG changes may precede clinical symptoms, highlighting the need for vigilant cardiac monitoring in scleroderma patients.
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology
- Cardiology
- Pathology
Context:
- Sclerodermic cardiomyopathy is the most frequent cardiac manifestation in patients with systemic sclerosis (scleroderma).
- This myocardial disorder is unique to scleroderma among collagen diseases.
- It often co-occurs with latent pericardial and endocardial involvement.
Purpose:
- To describe the clinical presentation, diagnostic features, and prognosis of sclerodermic cardiomyopathy.
- To differentiate it from other cardiac conditions.
- To emphasize its association with systemic sclerosis.
Summary:
- Sclerodermic cardiomyopathy typically presents as left ventricular failure with moderate cardiomegaly.
- Electrocardiogram (ECG) findings are not specific, and prognosis is poor, with a high mortality rate within 1-2 years.
- Clinical symptoms may be preceded by subtle ECG changes over time.
Impact:
- Highlights the significant cardiac impact of systemic sclerosis.
- Underscores the poor prognosis associated with sclerodermic cardiomyopathy.
- Facilitates differential diagnosis by emphasizing the disease's unique features within the context of scleroderma.
Abstract:
Sclerodermic cardiomyopathy is the commonest cardiac lesion in this collagen disorder. The picture is a common-place one of left ventricular failure with moderate cardiomegaly (unless there is an associated chronic pericardial effusion). There are no characteristic features on the ECG. The prognosis is particularly poor, with death within one or two years. Clinical presentation of the cardiomyopathy may be preceded by isolated ECG changes occuring over one or two years. The myocardial disorder, which is often associated with latent pericardial and endocardial lesions, is peculiar to scleroderma out of all the collagen disorders, but presents no difficulty in differential diagnosis because of the other features of the disease of which it is a part.
More Related Videos
09:16Isolation and Characterization of Cardiac Mesenchymal Stromal Cells from Endomyocardial Bioptic Samples of Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy Patients
Published on: February 28, 2018
03:45Investigating the Pathogenesis of MYH7 Mutation Gly823Glu in Familial Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy using a Mouse Model
Published on: August 8, 2022
Related Concept Videos
Myocarditis I: Introduction
Rheumatic Heart Disease I: Introduction
Cardiomyopathy I: Introduction and Classification
Cardiomyopathy II: Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy III: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy IV: Restrictive Cardiomyopathy