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Evaluation of cardiac laboratory markers in patients with systemic sclerosis

2006; Elsevier BV; Volume: 39; Issue: 9 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2006.03.016

1873-2933

Martina Montagnana, Giuseppe Lippi, Alessandro Volpe, Gian Luca Salvagno, Domenico Biasi, Paola Caramaschi, Gian Cesare Guidi,

Cardiovascular Effects of Exercise

Myocardial involvement is frequent in systemic sclerosis, but symptoms are usually delayed and non-specific, thus often misrecognized. The aim of this study was the evaluation of the early subclinical cardiac involvement in patients with systemic sclerosis by means of non-invasive laboratory cardiac markers. Cardiac troponin T (cTnT), ischemia modified albumin (IMA) and NT-prohormone–brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were measured in 40 female patients with systemic sclerosis and in 40 matched healthy controls. Patients with systemic sclerosis displayed significantly increased concentrations of serum IMA (106 versus 93.5 kunits/l, P < 0.0001) and NT-proBNP (89 versus 37 pg/ml, P < 0.0001), whereas no significant differences could be observed in both IMA and NT-proBNP values in limited versus diffuse pattern of disease. The increased levels of NT-proBNP and IMA could be considered a sign of early myocardial involvement, warranting further heart examination and a regular follow-up.