查看文章

Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic connective tissue disorder with an inflammatory and autoimmune nature. The disease presents with microvascular changes, endothelial cell dysfunction, and fibrosis in visceral organs and tissues including lung, skin and heart. Cardiac involvement is a predictor of poor prognosis in this disease; therefore, early and pre-clinical diagnosis of cardiac involvement can be helpful in management of SSc. Two-dimensional Speckle Tracking Echocardiography (2D-STE) is a new method for the evaluation of myocardial strain in longitudinal, circumferential and radial planes. This study aimed at evaluating the mechanical performance of all cardiac chambers by using 2D-STE in patients with scleroderma, and its comparison with normal individuals. This study demonstrated that using 2D-STE can result in the diagnosis of impaired chamber mechanics and function in subclinical stages. Based on our findings, the simultaneous evaluation of all cardiac chambers by 2D-STE provides valuable information regarding myocardial involvement in patients with SSc.

Objective: Cardiac involvement is a predictor of poor prognosis in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc); therefore, preclinical diagnosis of heart involvement is crucial. Two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE), a method for evaluating the myocardial strain, could be helpful for the early diagnosis of cardiac mechanical function abnormalities. In this study, the simultaneous evaluation of all cardiac chambers was studied in patients with SSc, compared with normal individuals. Methods: The …