Endomyocardial biopsy in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has numerous cardiovascular manifestations. Myocarditis is present in more than 50% of patients with SLE at autopsy, but it may be silent clinically during life. Percutaneous endomyocardial biopsy performed in 4 patients with SLE was found helpful in establishing the diagnosis and in determining the extent of the inflammatory myocarditis. The findings aided the regulation of therapy, particularly the administration of immunosuppressive drugs.