title: Fulminant diffuse systemic sclerosis following aortic valve replacement.
abstract: We present a case of fulminant diffuse systemic sclerosis (dSSc) developed after the aortic valve replacement followed by fatal congestive heart failure within the 6 months from the initial symptoms. A 61-year-old male developed rapidly progressive diffuse systemic sclerosis following aortic valve replacement due to stenosis of bicuspid aortic valve. He presented with diarrhoea, weight loss, mialgia and arthralgia after cardiac surgery. Heart failure, due to myocardial fibrosis, was noted as a cause of death. We hypothesize that artificial materials like the ones used in mechanical valves or silicon materials in breast implants may induce fulminant course of pre-existing systemic sclerosis or create a new onset in predisposed individual.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Split University Hospital Centre, Split, Croatia. Electronic address: daniela.marasovic.krstulovic@st.t-com.hr.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marasovic-Krstulovic
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Split University Hospital Centre, Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: Zrinka
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jurisic
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Split University Hospital Centre, Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: Dijana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Perkovic
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Rheumatology, Split University Hospital Centre, Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: Jure
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aljinovic
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Split University Hospital Centre, Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: Dusanka
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Martinovic-Kaliterna
mesh_terms: D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000209:etiology*; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D045743:Scleroderma, Diffuse / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D013997:Time Factors