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1: Nihon Rinsho Meneki Gakkai Kaishi. 2003 Jun;26(3):121-6.Links

[Case of scleroderma with congestive heart failure in which myocardial injury was detected by scintigraphy]

[Article in Japanese]

Kosugi Y, Sakurai T.

Department of Internal Medicine, Ohme Municipal General Hospital.

A 38-year-old woman with systemic sclerosis was admitted to our hospital because of dyspnea and finger ulcer. Chest X-p showed cardiomegaly and pleural effusion. Echocardiogram revealed diffuse hypokinesis of the left ventricle (ejection fraction 32%). Thallium scintigraphy demonstrated patchy perfusion defects. She was diagnosed as having congestive heart failure due to myocardial fibrosis, and was treated successfully with diuretics, cardiotonics, and beta-blocker. Scintigraphy may be useful to detect an early cardiac involvement in patients with systemic sclerosis, and intense pharmacological treatment might be started even before the patient develops symptoms.

PMID: 12868130 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]