The echocardiographic features of polymyositis - abstract

ABSTRACT

Two dimensional echocardiography with doppler studies were performed in 30 patients at the UWI with the diagnosis of dermatomyositis/polymyositis established by the usual clinical and investigative criteria. This was done in order to elucidate the echocardiographic features of this condition which had not been clearly defined before. There were 25 females and 5 males, age range 28-65 years (mean - 48 years), with the majority of patients (70 percent) being in the 41 - 70 year age group. No valvular abnormalities were observed, and left ventricular internal dimension in systole LVIDs-1.9-3.7 cm, mean-2.8cm) and contractility (ejection fraction - range 43 - 89 percent, mean - 69 percent) were normal. No regional wall motion abnormalities were observed. Only 3 patients (10 percent) had evidence of global reduction in systolic function. There was hypertrophy of the interventricular septum in 9 patients (30 percent), and in the left ventricular posterior wall in 6 patients (20 percent). The dimensions of the left atrium (2.6-3.7 cm; mean - 3.2 cm), aorta (2.5-3.6 cm; mean 3.2 cm) and right ventricle (range 1.6-2.5 cm; mean - 2.1 cm) were normal. Doppler studies did not reveal any significant valvular regurgitation, and pulmonary artery velocities documented normal mean pulmonary artery pressures (mean 18 mm Hg) in all patients. Left ventricular diastolic function as indicated by E/A ratios (0.55-1.39;mean-1.23) from mitral valve inflow studies was normal. Conclusion: Echocardiographic doppler studies in patients with dermatomyositis/polymyositis were largely normal apart from minor degrees of left ventricular hypertrophy in a minority of patients (AU)