PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Sharratt, G P
AU  - Danta, G
AU  - Carson, P H
TI  - Cardiac abnormality in polymyositis.
AID  - 10.1136/ard.36.6.575
DP  - 1977 Dec 01
TA  - Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
PG  - 575--578
VI  - 36
IP  - 6
4099  - http://ard.bmj.com/content/36/6/575.short
4100  - http://ard.bmj.com/content/36/6/575.full
SO  - Ann Rheum Dis1977 Dec 01; 36
AB  - Thirteen patients with polymyositis were investigated for the presence of cardiac disease by clinical examination, chest x-ray, electrocardiogram, and systolic time intervals. 5 patients had evidence of cardiac involvement. Compared with the other 8 patients, their polymyositis was more long-standing, more severe, and had remained active. Electrocardiogram usually showed arrhythmias and conduction disturbances, and 4 of the 5 patients had abnormal systolic time intervals indicating left ventricular dysfunction. Left ventricular involvement in polymyositis is more frequent than previously recognized and systolic time intervals are a simple, noninvasive method of detecting this.