title: Cardiac involvement in polymyositis: a clinicopathologic study of 20 autopsied patients.
abstract: Cardiac involvement in polymyositis was investigated in 20 autopsied cases. Clinically, 13 of 18 patients had abnormal electrocardiograms, and 9 of the 20 patients had previous evidence of congestive heart failure. Histologically documented myocarditis was detected in 6 patients (4 with congestive heart failure and 2 without), 4 of whom also had small vessel disease of the myocardium. Patients with polymyositis may have a cardiopathy in the absence of overt myocardial inflammatory disease.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D003882:Dermatomyositis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D009929:Organ Size; D011859:Radiography; D013997:Time Factors