Two-dimensional echocardiographic measurements in systemic sclerosis and a matched reference population

The present study was performed in order to evaluate, by two-dimensional echocardiography, cardiac morphology in terms of chamber dimensions, as well as left ventricular (LV) volume and mass, in patients with systemic sclerosis (n = 30). Measurements were compared with those from age- and sex-matched controls (n = 48). The most prominent finding in patients was increased LV wall thickness. There was also a tendency in patients to have reduced LV cavity dimensions. Thus, interventricular septum (p < 0.0005), LV posterior wall (p < 0.05) and the wall thickness/cavity dimension ratio (p < 0.0005) were increased in patients compared to controls, as was LV mass index (p < 0.005). The stroke volume (p < 0.005), end-diastolic volume (p < 0.01) as well as end-diastolic volume index (p < 0.05) were decreased in the patient group, but not when body surface area was considered. Blood pressure, ejection fraction and end-systolic wall stress were similar in the two groups. We conclude that our patients with systemic sclerosis had a nondilated LV cavity, with an increased wall thickness and relative LV mass. LV hypertrophy was not explained by systemic hypertension and may therefore be secondary to myocardial fibrosis.