Two-dimensional echocardiographic findings in systemic sarcoidosis.

The records of 88 patients with systemic sarcoidosis who underwent 2-dimensional echocardiography were reviewed to define the typical echocardiographic abnormalities in patients with clinical evidence of cardiac involvement. Twelve patients (14%) had echocardiographic evidence of left ventricular systolic dysfunction attributed to cardiac sarcoidosis (segmental hypokinesis in 8 patients and global hypokinesis in 4 patients). A high incidence of congestive heart failure (9 of 12) and conduction system disease (7 of 12) was characteristic of these patients. The remaining 76 patients had normal echocardiograms or abnormalities attributed to nonsarcoid sources. In 8 (11%) of these 76 patients, there were significant clinically unexplained conduction abnormalities likely related to sarcoidosis.