heart failure as presenting manifestation of cardiac involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus

a bstraC t background: heart failure in systemic lupus erythematosus (sle ) is rare, and its long-term outcome is unknown. t he aim of this study was to analyse the long-term outcome of six sle patients with heart failure as first manifestation of cardiac involvement and to review previously reported cases. Methods: w e conducted a retrospective chart review of sle patients from two tertiary referral centres who presented between 1999 and 2004 with clinical and echocardi ographic signs of heart failure as their first manifestation of cardiac involvement. details of the clinical presentation and follow-up and serial findings at echocardiography were collected. a retrospective review of the literature was performed using the p ubMed database.