بررسی اختلالات قلبی در بیماران مبتلا به آرتریت روماتوئید بدون علائم بیماری قلبی، در بیمارستان قائم مشهد (87-1386)

  Background and Aim: Cardiovascular disorders are the most common cause of premature deaths in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study dealt with echocardiographical findings in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.   Materials and Methods: Forty patients with established diagnosis of RA for more than five years, who lacked any known cardiovascular and brain symptoms, were enrolled in the study. After complete physical examination electrocardiogram, Chest X-ray, and echocardiography were performed .The obtained data was analysed using SPSS software and appropriate statistical tests..   Results: Mean age of the subjects was 46/2±15/48 and 90% of them were females. The most common valvular disorders were tricuspid and mitral valve regurgitation (72.5% and 52%, respectively). In 70% of the patients diastolic function was normal and there was a significant relationship between systolic function and diastolic abnormality (P=0.047). Pulmonary hypertension was detected in 40% of the cases. Surveying diastolic indices and Doppler echocardiography revealed a significant relationship between initial diastolic wave rate starting from mitral valve annulus and the diastolic wave rate in the right upper pulmonary vein and a significant relationship between the systolic wave rate originated from mitral valve annulus and the systolic wave rate in the right upper pulmonary vein (P=0.001 and P=0.047, respectively). However, there was not a significant relationship between terminal diastolic wave rate starting from mitral valve annulus with terminal diastolic wave rate of mitral valve and an insignificant relationship of the systolic wave rate of the right upper pulmonary vein with initial diastolic wave rate of mitral valve (P=0.43 and P=0.84, respectively).   Conclusion: A wide and frequent variety of cardiovascular disorders, especially pulmonary hypertension, diastolic dysfunction, and tricuspid and mitral regurgitations in RA patients, require special attention.