[Heart affection in patients with ankylosing spondiloarthritis].

Aim: To study features of heart disease in patients with alkylosing spondyloarthritis (ASA).

Material And Methods: We examined 56 ASA patients. Most of the examinees had spinal problems, moderate activity, x-ray sacroileitis stage III.

Results: Pulmonary hypertension was detected in 60.7%, right ventricular (RV) hypertrophy--in 37.5%, RV dilation--in 30.4% patients. Interventricular septum, left ventricular posterior wall were thickened (p < 0.05). Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction was registered in 18.2% ASA patients. The changes correlated with the disease duration, spinal lesion, especially of thoracic part.

Conclusion: Pulmonary hypertension is a frequent finding in ASA patients. Echocardiography (ECG) is highly informative in detection of pulmonary hypertension and right heart disorders in ASA patients. ECG is a screening method in diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension in ASA patients.