title: [Cardiovascular abnormalities in systemic lupus erythematosus patients in echocardiographic assessment].
abstract: Cardiovascular system involvement is the third most common reason of death in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The aim of this study was to assess the cardiac involvement in the SLE patients with a regard to clinical, serological and environmental risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  103 patients were included into the study, 91 women and 12 men, aged 16-74 yrs, the control group included 25 subjects. Physical examination, two-dimensional guided M-mode and Doppler echocardiographic recordings were performed. The tests for the presence of ANA, ENA, antiphospholipid antibodies (aCL, LA, anti-beta2GPI and antiprothrombin antibodies), ANCA (anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibodies), AECA (anti endothelial cell antibodies) were carried out.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The following pathologies were significantly more common in the SLE patients: pericardial involvement (58%), organic changes of the mitral valve cusps (54%), organic changes of the aortic valve cusps (36%), widening of the aortal lumen (35%), enlargement of the left atrium (18%), hypokinesis of the left ventricle myocardial muscle (15%). Ultrasound cardiac pathologies were associated with presence of antiphospholipid antibodies, ANCA, anti-hitone antibodies and AECA. High activity of SLE increased risk of pericarditis and ascending aortic wall thickening. Cardiovascular manifestations occurred most frequently in patients with short time duration of SLE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cardiac involvement is a frequent and early systemic complication of SLE and it is the most commonly related to pericardium and valvular apparatus. Cardiovascular manifestations in SLE patients are the most frequently related to the presence of serological risk factors, mainly antiphospholipid antibodies. It suggests their major role in the pathogenesis of the cardiovascular involvement in SLE. Pericarditis are markers of high activity of SLE.
authors.affiliation: Pomorska Akademia Medyczna w Szczecinie, Klinika Reumatologii. lidia-55@go2.pl
authors.forename: Lidia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ostanek
authors.forename: Edyta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Płońska
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peregud-Pogorzelska
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mokrzycki
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brzosko
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fliciński
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid; D015415:Biomarkers