title: Fragmented QRS in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease with a variety of clinical features. Cardiac involvement is present in more than half of the patients with SLE. Fragmentation of QRS (fQRS) is presumed marker of cardiovascular risk and has not been previously evaluated in SLE.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 56 women previously diagnosed with SLE were recruited. In addition, a control group consisting of 51 healthy people was formed. QRS complexes were also evaluated in terms of fragmentations. All patients with SLE and control subjects underwent transthoracic echocardiographic examination. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein levels were also obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Frequency of fQRS was higher in patients with SLE (41% vs. 21%, p = 0.03). Left ventricular posterior wall thickness and mass index were higher in the patients with SLE. CRP levels and age were significantly higher, and disease duration was significantly longer in the fQRS(+) group (p = 0.02, 0.01, and 0.006, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A careful cardiovascular evaluation and follow-up is essential to continuously improve survival in SLE. For this purpose, fQRS may be used for the early detection in patients with SLE.
authors: Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Selcuk University , Konya , Turkey.
authors: Kenan
authors: K
authors: Demır
authors: Ahmet
authors: A
authors: Avcı
authors: Sema
authors: S
authors: Yılmaz
authors: Tarık
authors: T
authors: Demır
authors: Ahmet
authors: A
authors: Ersecgın
authors: Bulent Behlul
authors: BB
authors: Altunkeser
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D000328:Adult; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: fragmented QRS; left ventricular mass index; systemic lupus erythematosus