title: Pathogenesis of heart block in a fatal case of dermatomyositis.
abstract: Approximately 70% of patients with dermatomyositis have evidence of cardiac damage; in one third of cases this affects principally or solely the conduction tissue. In infants similar histological lesions have been associated with a maternal autoantibody, anti-Ro, that crosses the placenta and produces congenital heart block. Anti-Ro antibody was detected in a fatal case of dermatomyositis with lesions of the conduction system.
mesh_terms: D001283:Atrioventricular Node / Q000473:pathology; D003882:Dermatomyositis / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006327:Heart Block / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged