Pulmonary hypertension in patients with systemic sclerosis with CREST-syndrome and without it

Abstract

Aim. To study incidence rate and characteristics of pulmonary hypertension development in patients with systemic sclerosis (SS). Material and methods. The study included 31 SS patients (30 females, 1 male, age 33-75 years mean age 47.7+1.7 years). Results. Pulmonary hypertension occurred more frequently in SS patients with CREST-syndrome than in SS patients free of this syndrome. SS patients with CREST-syndrome had also more severe ventricular hypertrophy than ventricular dilation. Conclusion. Echocardiography proved to be a highly informative method for detection of pulmonary hypertension in patients with SS. The necessity of hemodynamical study in SS patients is emphasized.

Keywords

• systemic sclerosis
• pulmonary hypertension
• echocardiography