Cardiac lesions in nonspecific aorto-arteritis.

Cardiac conditions were examined in 48 patients with nonspecific aorto-arteritis. The authors assume that nonspecific aorto-arteritis may be accompanied by lesions, although usually moderate, of the valvular apparatus. Such defects, even moderate ones, are accessible to intravital diagnosis based on auscultation findings. Additional study is required for resolving whether such valvular defects are manifestations of the primary disease or sequelae of nonspecific aorto-arteritis combined with a rheumatic affliction. The most frequent form of cardiac lesion, however, is myocardial hypertrophy resulting from systemic hypertension. Signs of coronary insufficiency may signalize coronaritis and result from relative coronary insufficiency. Besides, there also occur symptoms of myocardial dystrophy, which in some patients may be caused by thyrotoxicosis, occasionally encountered in patients with nonspecific aorto-arteritis.