Left ventricular systolic dysfunction in rheumatoid disease: an unrecognized burden?
OBJECTIVE
This study sought to ascertain whether left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) is more common among clinic patients with rheumatoid disease (RD) compared with the general population, and to assess the diagnostic utility of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP).


BACKGROUND
Patients with RD are at increased risk of ischemic heart disease. However, there are few large echocardiographic studies identifying cardiac dysfunction in RD. We hypothesized that LVSD would be more prevalent in RD patients than in the general population.


METHODS
A total of 226 hospital out-patients with RD (65% women) underwent clinical evaluation, electrocardiography (ECG), echocardiography, and plasma BNP assay (218 patients). Prevalence of LVSD was compared with local population estimates.


RESULTS
Definite LVSD (left ventricular ejection fraction <40%) occurred in 5.3% of the RD group: standardized prevalence ratio, 3.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.65 to 5.59. Median BNP values were higher in patients with LVSD compared with those without: 16.6 pmol/l versus 8.5 pmol/l, p < 0.005, although values between the two groups overlapped. One in nine patients with an abnormal ECG had definite LVSD.


CONCLUSIONS
Definite LVSD was three times more common in RD patients than in the general population. Given the prognostic benefits of treating LVSD, echocardiographic screening of RD patients with an abnormal ECG may be worthwhile.
Haemostasis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology Unit, University Department of Medicine, City Hospital, Birmingham, England.
Gurbir S
GS
Bhatia
Michael D
MD
Sosin
Jeetesh V
JV
Patel
Karl A
KA
Grindulis
Fazal H
FH
Khattak
Elizabeth A
EA
Hughes
Gregory Y H
GY
Lip
Russell C
RC
Davis
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D013599:Systole; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*