Cardiovascular involvement in patients with systemic sclerosis: insights from electromechanical characteristics of the heart

Abstract

Systemic sclerosis is a severe, life threatening autoimmune disease involving the skin and visceral organs, including the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys and heart. Cardiac involvement in systemic sclerosis, which is an important mortality predictor may involve myocardium, conduction system, vascular wall, pericardium, pulmonary vessels causing pulmonary hypertension. Thus, the detection of cardiac involvement is necessary in systemic sclerosis. With the more widespread use of novel non-invasive imaging techniques, the cardiac involvement is more frequently encountered in daily practice. Noninvasive evaluation can offer an advantage in early prediction of poor prognosis and give a chance to apply new therapeutic approaches for cardiac involvement. In this review, we intend to present cardiac involvement of systemic sclerosis and clinical diagnostic modalities, including electromechanical properties of the atrium and ventricles, for assessment this involvement.