Cardiovascular abnormalities in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Echocardiographic examinations of 21 unselected patients with systemic lupus erythematosus revealed a wide variety of abnormalities. The abnormalities consisted of substantial pericardial effusion in five patients (24%) and a thickened pericardium in six patients(29%); significantly larger left atrial and left ventricular dimensions and significantly smaller ejection fraction percentages, fractional shortening of the left ventricle, and rate of early diastolic mitral valve closure compared to that in a control group of subjects; and paradoxical and hypokinetic movement of the septum in one patient (5%) each. The presence of pericardial effusion and a thickened septum and a decrease in the ejection fraction percentage, fractional shortening of the left ventricle, and mitral valve diastolic closing velocity showed no correlation with previous hypertension, the presence or absence of anemia, renal failure, serum levels of proteins, and duration of patients' illnesses. Long-term follow-up studies to determine the implications of these subclinical cardiac abnormalities using noninvasive techniques (such as echocardiography) is vitally important.