Background: CTDs, though rare in childhood, are an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Most of them involve multiple organ systems and are associated with presence of auto-antibodies. The main aim of this study to do cardiac functions in children with different types of CTDs. Furthermore, role of myoglobin and other cardiac markers as Troponnin I in early detection of myocardial damage in children with CTDs were studied.
Methods: The study included 44 children and adolescent with CTDs come to full up at Pediatrics and Rheumatolorgy Departments during the year 2015. After history taking, careful clinical and cardiac examination; all included children were subjected to echocardiographic examinations and Complete blood count, cardiac markers enzymatic assay.
Results: A total of children 44 children and adolescence met the inclusion criteria (22 males and 22 females) with the mean age 11.68±3.04 years and range from 7-16 years, Mean ± SD duration of diseases/year were 3.05±2.61years. In this study, 44 cases were diagnosis to had CTDs, 20 (45.45%) cases with idiopathic rheumatoid arthritis, 14 (31.82%) cases with SLE and 10 (22.73%) cases with dermatomyositis. The change in cardiac function and cardiac enzymes were not diseases specific or related to the presence of auto-antibodies. But with increase the duration of CTDs and age of patients there were statically significant increase in cardiac function and cardiac enzymes.
Conclusion: CTDs, though rare in childhood, are an important cause of morbidity and mortality. The change in cardiac function and cardiac enzymes were not diseases specific or related to the presence of auto-antibodies. Cardiac function and enzymes were impaired with increase the duration of CTDs and age of the patients