title: Cardiovascular, skeletal and ophthalmologic manifestations in patients with Marfan's syndrome.
abstract: Cardiovascular, skeletal and ophthalmologic manifestations of Marfan's syndrome were evaluated in 36 patients with Marfan's syndrome, including 22 females and 14 males whose ages ranged from 3 to 70 years. The patients complained mainly of palpitations and chest pain. Mitral clicks and/or systolic murmurs were heard in 31 patients (86%); skeletal findings were found in 35 patients (97%) and ECG T-wave changes in 11 (30%). Chest X-rays showed cardiac enlargement in six patients (17%) and dilatation of the aorta in two (6%). Holter monitoring performed in 21 patients showed only a few premature atrial and ventricular beats in 4, although prolapse of the mitral valve was found in 18 patients. Echocardiography revealed mitral valve prolapse in 32 patients (89%), 21 females (95% of females) and 11 males (79% of males). Aortic root dilatation was found in 19 patients (53%). 11 males (79% of males) and 8 females (36% of females). This study demonstrates the variable clinical expression of Marfan's syndrome and the importance of clinical and noninvasive methods, mainly echocardiography, for its evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Heart Institute, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Algom
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Schlesinger
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Madjar
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tal
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Krakowsky
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fried
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008297:Male; D008382:Marfan Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008945:Mitral Valve Prolapse / Q000209:etiology; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic