Cardiac Involvement in Systemic Sclerosis (Scleroderma)

Cardiac involvement is a known complication of systemic sclerosis (Scleroderma) – a rare connective tissue disorder, characterizes by microvascular injury, and diffuse fibrosis of the skin and internal organs. It has been shown that prevalence of cardiac involvement in Scleroderma is associated with a poor prognosis and may manifest as arrhythmia, conduction disturbance, left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, and less of atherosclerotic coronary disease.

A few months ago a patients known with scleroderma was presented in our department with palpitation, wide QRS ventricular tachycardia.

Aim: To evaluate the incidence and clinical course of scleroderma, in patients admitted to the cardiology department in the last two decades.

Methods & Material: The diagnosis of patients admitted to our cardiology department during the years 1998-2018 were reviewed. Twenty one patients had found to have the complimentary diagnosis of scleroderma. The discharge notes of all our 21 patients were evaluated. The average age was 61y (24-81y), atrial fibrillation was diagnosis in 4 patients, pulmonary hypertension in 8 patients, 1 patients had suffered ventricular tachycardia, and 1 patients had conduction disturbance, needed pacemaker therapy.

Conclusion: Cardiac involvement in scleroderma may contribute to morbidity and death. It is recommended by us that heart involvement evaluation, should be performed, at the time of diagnosis and treatment of patients with scleroderma, and thus improves, or even save life.