title: [Analysis for clinical features of cardiovascular complication of diffuse connective tissue disease].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the clinical features and prognosis of cardiovascular complications of diffuse connective tissue disease(dCTD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical data of cardiovascular complications of 181 cases of dCTD were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical data of two subsets [rheumatoid arthritis (RA, 81) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, 42)] were also analyzed. Follow-up was carried out for all the patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RA and SLE were the most common disease complicated by cardiovascular disease needing hospitalization. The most frequent cardiovascular complications in dCTD patients were hypertension, hyperlipidemia and coronary artery disease. The most common echocardiographic abnormalities were valvular regurgitation, left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, enlargement of left atrium, pulmonary hypertension and pericardial effusion (57.8%, 50.6%, 33.7%, 21.7% and 19.3%, respectively). Compared with the subset of RA, patients were younger at onset of hypertension, coronary artery disease and hyperlipidemia in the subset of SLE [(40+/-11) vs (56+/-15), P<0.001; (53+/-12) vs (64+/-10), P=0.011; (44+/-16) vs (58+/-12), P=0.012, respectively]. Both pericardial effusion (P<0.001) and enlargement of left ventricle (P=0.03) were more frequent, and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction was less common (P<0.001). Median survival time of these dCTD patients was 9.8 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RA and SLE are the most common diffuse connective tissue diseases complicated by cardiovascular disease needing hospitalization. The most frequent cardiovascular complications in dCTD patients are hypertension, hyperlipidemia and coronary artery disease. The prognosis of dCTD patients complicated with cardiovascular diseases is poor. SLE patients are younger at onset of cardiovascular diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-li
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Xiang-yuan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jin-xia
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D003240:Connective Tissue Diseases / Q000150:complications; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000209:etiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies