Isolated right ventricular failure in scleroderma heart disease.
Scleroderma is reported to have numerous cardiac manifestations. Right ventricular failure (RVF) is a well-recognized cardiac complication of scleroderma and most often is related to underlying pulmonary hypertension (PH). Causes of PH include both interstitial lung disease and pulmonary artery vasculopathy. Direct involvement of the ventricle by myocardial fibrosis or coronary vasospasm could also cause a diffuse bilateral cardiomyopathy. We describe a case of predominant RVF in the absence of significant PH in a patient with longstanding scleroderma.
Department of Medicine, Brooke Army Medical Center, 3851 Roger Brooke Drive, Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234-6200, USA. Benjamin.george@amedd.army.mil
Benjamin J
BJ
George
Michael D
MD
Kwan
Michael J
MJ
Morris
D000328:Adult; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D012594:Scleroderma, Localized / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013318:Stroke Volume; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018497:Ventricular Dysfunction, Right / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014797:Vital Capacity