title: Implantable cardioverter defibrillator prevents sudden cardiac death in systemic sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cardiac involvement means a poor prognosis in systemic sclerosis (SSc). Conduction defects and arrhythmias are frequent in patients with SSc, and may result in sudden cardiac death. We tested whether electrophysiologic studies and implantation of cardioverter defibrillators are recommended when ventricular arrhythmias are present.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cardioverter defibrillator was implanted in 10 patients with SSc who had heart involvement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 36 months, analysis of the device showed several episodes of ventricular tachycardia in 3 patients, which were promptly reverted by electrical shock delivery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with SSc who are affected by ventricular arrhythmias, the implantation of a cardioverter defibrillator may prevent sudden cardiac death.
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine and Surgery, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bernardo
authors.forename: Maria Letizia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Conforti
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bellando-Randone
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pieragnoli
authors.forename: Jelena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blagojevic
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kaloudi
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guiducci
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Porta
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Padeletti
authors.forename: Gian Franco
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Gensini
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matucci-Cerinic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents