[The heart in systemic lupus erythematosus. Study in 32 non-selected patients (author's transl)].

Cardiovascular manifestations of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) in 32 unselected patients, with active disease were reviewed. Primary cardiac disease manifested as pericarditis (22%), myocarditis (16%), and valvular disease (9%), was recognized along with secondary disease as heart failure with or without systemic hypertension. Comparison with previous work by others, suggest that our cases are more representative of actual clinical picture of cardiac SLE. It is interesting to notice tht 9% of our patients had valvular disease, and this alteration is only occasionally found in other Hospitals. Valvular disease is rarely noticed during life, although is highly prevalent in autopsy series. We stress the diagnosis and management of the cardiac manifestations of SLE, in order to lower the morbidity and mortality of this condition.