[Echocardiographic heart assessment in systemic lupus erythematosus].

A prospective two dimensional and Doppler echocardiographic studies were performed in 41 patients to assess the incidence and spectrum of cardiac abnormalities. All patients included in the study fulfilled the 1982 revised criteria of the American Rheumatism Association for classification of SLE. There were 37 women and 4 men with average age of 38 years. Average duration of SLE was 6.5 years (range 6 months to 20 years). Nineteen patients (46.3%) with SLE had cardiac abnormalities. Valvular abnormalities were found in 14 patients (34.1%). Mitral valve abnormalities were the most common findings-in 7 patients (17.1%). There were 6 patients with aortic (14.6%), and 3 patients with tricuspid valve abnormalities (7.3%). One patient had morphological echocardiographic pattern suggesting noninfective verrucous vegetations affecting the tricuspid valve. Pericardial effusion was identified in 5 patients (12.2%). We found no correlation between the prevalence of cardiac abnormalities and duration, age and disease activity in SLE patients.