Precoce coinvolgimento miocardico nelle collagenopatie. Studio con biopsia endomiocardica [Early myocardial involvement in collagen diseases. An endomyocardial biopsy study]

Endomyocardial biopsy was performed in three patients affected by systemic connectivitis (one case of systemic lupus erythematosus--SLE--, one of scleroderma and one of dermatomyositis). The analysis of the specimens revealed the presence of fibrosis and microvascular lesions (these latter only in SLE). Immunofluorescence showed in SLE and scleroderma perivascular IgG or perisarcolemmal IgM deposits respectively. Despite the scarcity of cardiac signs and symptoms, cardiac involvement can be early and frequent in connectivitis. The immune pathogenesis of the cardiac lesions seems to be possible because of the presence of immunocomplexes in the myocardium.