Cardiovascular involvement in pediatric systemic autoimmune diseases: the emerging role of noninvasive cardiovascular imaging

Inflammation & Allergy Drug Targets
Sophie MavrogeniGeorge Papadopoulos

Abstract

Cardiac involvement in pediatric systemic autoimmune diseases has a wide spectrum of presentation ranging from asymptomatic to severe clinically overt involvement. Coronary artery disease, pericardial, myocardial, valvular and rythm disturbances are the most common causes of heart lesion in pediatric systemic autoimmune diseases and cannot be explained only by the traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Therefore, chronic inflammation has been considered as an additive causative factor of cardiac disease in these patients. Rheumatic fever, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, ankylosing spondylitis/spondyloarthritides, juvenile scleroderma, juvenile dermatomyositis/polymyositis, Kawasaki disease and other autoimmune vasculitides are the commonest pediatric systemic autoimmune diseases with heart involvement. Noninvasive cardiovascular imaging is an absolutely necessary adjunct to the clinical evaluation of these patients. Echocardiography is the cornerstone of this assessment, due to excellent acoustic window in children, lack of radiation, low cost and high availability. However, it can not detect disease acuity and pathophysiologic background of cardiac lesions. Recently, the development of cardiovasc...Continue Reading

Citations

Dec 14, 2017·Cardiology in the Young·Marisa Di SantoAlejandra Villa
May 28, 2020·Antioxidants & Redox Signaling·Henry W West, Charalambos Antoniades
Dec 22, 2016·The International Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging·Chodchanok VijarnsornEdythe B Tham

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Cardiovascular Inflammation

Inflammation plays a significant role in the development of cardiovascular diseases, an understanding of these endogenous processes is critical for evaluating the risks and potential treatment strategies. Discover the latest research on cardiovascular inflammation here.

Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle, that can lead to muscular or electrical dysfunction of the heart. It is often an irreversible disease that is associated with a poor prognosis. There are different causes and classifications of cardiomyopathies. Here are the latest discoveries pertaining to this disease.

Aneurysm

Aneurysms are outward distensions or bulges that occurs in a weakened wall of blood vessels. Discover the latest research on aneurysms here.

Autoimmune Diseases

Autoimmune diseases occur as a result of an attack by the immune system on the body’s own tissues resulting in damage and dysfunction. There are different types of autoimmune diseases, in which there is a complex and unknown interaction between genetics and the environment. Discover the latest research on autoimmune diseases here.