ISSN: 2161-1149 (Printed)
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Genovefa Kolovou
Greece
Review Article
Ventricular Tachycardia and Sudden Cardiac Death in Connective Tissue Diseases: Can Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Play a Role?
Author(s): Sophie Mavrogeni, George Poulos, Loukia Koutsogeorgopoulou, George Markousis-Mavrogenis, George Theodorakis and Genovefa KolovouSophie Mavrogeni, George Poulos, Loukia Koutsogeorgopoulou, George Markousis-Mavrogenis, George Theodorakis and Genovefa Kolovou
Ventricular tachycardia (VT) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) are deleterious manifestations of cardiac involvement in connective tissue diseases (CTD). In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the commonest cause of SCD is coronary artery disease that may lead to acute coronary syndrome and VT. In systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), VT is due either to coronary artery disease or to acute myocarditis. VT/SCD can be also assessed in polymyostis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM). Finally, VT was described in 7-13%, while SCD in 5-21% of unselected SSc patients.
Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has been already used as screening tool in CTDs, because of its capability to evaluate noninvasively and without radiation, function, inflammation, perfusion defects and fibrosis. Apart of the impaired ventricular function, which can be by itself a predisposing factor for VT/SCD, the commonest cau.. View More»
DOI:
10.4172/2161-1149.1000198