Echocardiographic findings and 24-h electrocardiographic Holter monitoringin patients with nodular and non-nodular rheumatoid arthritis

Citation
M. Wislowska et al., Echocardiographic findings and 24-h electrocardiographic Holter monitoringin patients with nodular and non-nodular rheumatoid arthritis, RHEUM INTL, 18(5-6), 1999, pp. 163-169
Citations number
38
Categorie Soggetti
Rheumatology,"da verificare
Journal title
RHEUMATOLOGY INTERNATIONAL
ISSN journal
01728172 → ACNP
Volume
18
Issue
5-6
Year of publication
1999
Pages
163 - 169
Database
ISI
SICI code
0172-8172(199906)18:5-6<163:EFA2EH>2.0.ZU;2-Y
Abstract
Echocardiographic examination and 24-h electrocardiographic Holter monitori ng were carried out on 35 patients with nodular rheumatoid arthritis (RA) a nd 35 with non-nodular RA, who were matched with the nodular RA group regar ding age, sex and BSA. A further 35 patients with osteoarthrosis and spondy loarthrosis matched, with both RA groups, constituted a control group, Pati ents with a history of myocardial infarction, hypertension, rheumatic fever and diabetes were excluded from the study. Cardiac involvement, evaluated using echo-Doppler cardiography, 24-h electrocardiographic Holter monitorin g and ECG at rest, occurred in 25 (71.9%)patients with nodular RA and in 15 (42.9%) with non-nodular RA in comparison to 8 (22.9%) control group patie nts (P < 0.0002). Holter electrocardiographic monitoring over 24 h did not present any essential differences in frequency of rhythm disorders between the examined groups and the control group. However, it revealed more patien ts with l-mm ST depression in the nodular RA group than in the non-nodular and control groups. Echocardiographic examination revealed more cases of va lvular heart abnormalities, especially those of mitral insufficiency, in no dular RA patients than in non-nodular and control patients. Both a mitral v alve prolapse and a pericardial effusion were noted in 8.6% of nodular RA p atients. Patients with nodular RA were noted to have a bigger aortic root d iameter, but smaller ejection fraction, mean velocity of circumferential fi bre shortening and fractional shortening in comparison to non-nodular and t o control group patients.