Article Text
Abstract
Background SLE can affect all components of the heart, namely the pericardium, conduction system, myocardium, valves, and coronary arteries. Valvular heart disease is one of the most typical and prognostically significant cardiac lesions in SLE.
Objectives The aim of our study was to evaluate cardiac valve lesions in SLE pts using TEE in combination with TTE.
Methods TTE and TEE were performed in 76 consecutive pts (13M:63F, mean age 28 yrs) using Philips HDI 5000 with 2.0-4.0 MHz transducer and EnVisor C with multiplan 5 MHz TEE transducer.
Results Cardiac valve lesions were detected by TTE in 54 patients. TEE reveled additional information about valvular structure/function in 16 of those pts and detected valve abnormalities in new 13 pts. Combined TTE+TEE evaluated valve lesions in 67 (88.2%) pts. Valve structure abnormalities were represented as thickness/stiffness of valve leaflets in 44.7% (mitral – 31.6%, aortic – 21.1%, tricuspid – 9.2%); valve masses/vegetations (Libman-Sacks) in 35.5% (mitral – 18.4%, aortic – 14.5%, tricuspid – 2.6%). Moderate-to-severe mitral regurgitation was detected in 26.3% pts, aortic regurgitation – in 7.9%, tricuspid regurgitation – in 3.9%). Mitral stenosis was found in only 5.3% and in all cases it was combined with mitral regurgitation.
Conclusions We found high prevalence of cardiac valve lesions in studied cohort of SLE pts. Those lesions were represented as wide variety of valve structure and function abnormalities. TEE appears to be accurate diagnostic tool in SLE valve lesions.
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Disclosure of Interest None Declared