Objective. To assess cardiovascular abnormalities in patients with limited systemic sclerosis (SSc), using noninvasive cardiac techniques.Methods. Sixty‐three patients with limited SSc were prospectively evaluated with Doppler echocardiography and thallium‐201 perfusion scintigraphy after a cold‐stress test and radionuclide ventriculography.Results. In the patients with limited SSc, there was a significantly high prevalence of abnormal left‐ and right‐diastolic function parameters (P = 0.001 and P = 0.0002, respectively), thickening of papillary muscles (46%; P = 0.003), and mild mitral regurgitation (49%; P < 0.0001), compared with controls. Systolic pulmonary arterial hypertension was detected in 9 patients (14%), and pericardial effusion in 11 patients (18%). In 64% of patients with limited SSc, an ischemic response was detected on the thallium cold‐stress scan; similarly, an ischemic response was detected in 57% of patients with primary Raynaud's phenomenon (P < 0.0001 versus controls).Conclusion. Although the frequency of cardiovascular symptoms was low in patients with limited SSc, a significant rate of cardiovascular abnormalities was found by noninvasive cardiac techniques.
las infecciones nosocomiales en los hospitales españoles (EPINE), http://www.vhebron.net/ac/ preventiva/epine.htm. The members of the network are listed at the end of the article.
The main results of the study (a higher LC risk among black tobacco users than in exclusive blond tobacco users, and a lower LC risk among long-term filter-tipped cigarette smokers than all other smokers) have been consistent with previous case-control studies and with ecologic studies which took into account past exposure levels.
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