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Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction in Rheumatoid Disease

An Unrecognized Burden?

Gurbir S. Bhatia, MRCP^_*, Michael D. Sosin, MRCP^_*, Jeetesh V. Patel, PhD^_*, Karl A. Grindulis, FRCP, Fazal H. Khattak, FRCP, Elizabeth A. Hughes, BSc, FRCP, Gregory Y.H. Lip, MD, FRCP, FACC, FESC^_* and Russell C. Davis, MRCP, MD^_*,_*

^_* Haemostasis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology Unit, University Department of Medicine, City Hospital, Birmingham, England
Rheumatology
Chemical Pathology, Sandwell, and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, Lyndon, England

View larger version (9K): [in a new window]   Figure 1 Box plots showing median plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels (horizontal bars) for normal left ventricular (LV) function versus left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD). Median BNP = 8.5 pmol/l (interquartile range, 8.8) in those with normal LV function versus 16.6 pmol/l (interquartile range, 26.1) in those with LVSD. LVEF = left ventricular ejection fraction.