[Assessment of ECG and holter parameters among patients with systemic sclerosis].

Introduction: The aim of our study was to assess electrocardiographic abnormalities on the standard ECG and Holter monitoring in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Materials and methods: 70 patients with systemic sclerosis and 20 healthy individuals were included in the study. Mean disease duration was 100,8 ± 95,79 months. The following electrocardiographic parameters were assessed: driving rhythm, P wave, PQ interval, atrio-ventricular and intraventricular conduction disturbances, ST-T complex abnormalities, mean heart rate, presence of conduction disturbances, supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias. We evaluated if there could be any relationship between the Raynaud’s phenomenon or disease duration and electrocardiographic abnormalities.

Results: We found that patients with systemic sclerosis had higher burden of supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias than individuals in the control group. The longer duration of the Raynaud’s phenomenon or systemic sclerosis the higher incidence of these arrhythmias could be found. Patients with supraventricular arrhythmias were more often in NYHA class I/II heart failure whilst patients with ventricular arrhythmias were in NYHA class II.

Conclusions: Patients with the longstanding Raynaud’s phenomenon and systemic sclerosis are at a high risk of developing cardiac arrhythmias. It seems that a vigilant electrocardiographic monitoring could increase patients safety.