Biomaterial Database

Cardiac involvement in rheumatoid arthritis. Followup study. 1979

A M Nomeir, and R A Turner, and L E Watts

Initial studies from Bowman Gray School of Medicine showed that 18 of 30 patients with classic rheumatoid arthritis (RA) had cardiac involvement from their disease. These abnormalities were detected by echocardiography and consisted of mitral valve and/or pericardial abnormalities. All patients were followed for 4 years from the initial workup. Mitral valve abnormalities were seen on followup in 63% of the patients who initially showed this abnormality, while pericardial effusion remained in 20%. Pericardial thickening persisted in 6 of 7 patients. None of the patients developed constrictive pericarditis or heart failure. There was no definite correlation between persistence of these abnormalities and other clinical data, but it was noticed that patients who had persistent pericardial effusion and mitral valve abnormalities showed a higher number of involved joints and a higher erythrocyte sedimentation rate. The cardiac abnormalities described in this study have remained clinically insignificant in this population of RA patients.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008943	Mitral Valve	The valve between the left atrium and left ventricle of the heart.	Bicuspid Valve,Bicuspid Valves,Mitral Valves,Valve, Bicuspid,Valve, Mitral,Valves, Bicuspid,Valves, Mitral
D010490	Pericardial Effusion	Fluid accumulation within the PERICARDIUM. Serous effusions are associated with pericardial diseases. Hemopericardium is associated with trauma. Lipid-containing effusion (chylopericardium) results from leakage of THORACIC DUCT. Severe cases can lead to CARDIAC TAMPONADE.	Chylopericardium,Hemopericardium,Chylopericardiums,Effusion, Pericardial,Effusions, Pericardial,Pericardial Effusions
D010496	Pericardium	A conical fibro-serous sac surrounding the HEART and the roots of the great vessels (AORTA; VENAE CAVAE; PULMONARY ARTERY). Pericardium consists of two sacs: the outer fibrous pericardium and the inner serous pericardium. The latter consists of an outer parietal layer facing the fibrous pericardium, and an inner visceral layer (epicardium) resting next to the heart, and a pericardial cavity between these two layers.	Epicardium,Fibrous Pericardium,Parietal Pericardium,Pericardial Cavity,Pericardial Space,Serous Pericardium,Visceral Pericardium,Cavities, Pericardial,Cavity, Pericardial,Pericardial Cavities,Pericardial Spaces,Pericardium, Fibrous,Pericardium, Parietal,Pericardium, Serous,Pericardium, Visceral,Pericardiums, Fibrous,Pericardiums, Serous,Serous Pericardiums,Space, Pericardial,Spaces, Pericardial
D005500	Follow-Up Studies	Studies in which individuals or populations are followed to assess the outcome of exposures, procedures, or effects of a characteristic, e.g., occurrence of disease.	Followup Studies,Follow Up Studies,Follow-Up Study,Followup Study,Studies, Follow-Up,Studies, Followup,Study, Follow-Up,Study, Followup
D006321	Heart	The hollow, muscular organ that maintains the circulation of the blood.	Hearts
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001172	Arthritis, Rheumatoid	A chronic systemic disease, primarily of the joints, marked by inflammatory changes in the synovial membranes and articular structures, widespread fibrinoid degeneration of the collagen fibers in mesenchymal tissues, and by atrophy and rarefaction of bony structures. Etiology is unknown, but autoimmune mechanisms have been implicated.	Rheumatoid Arthritis