The author studied the relationship between electrocardiographic and clinical findings in 27 patients with classical rheumatoid arthritis, as defined by the criteria for the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis proposed by the American Rheumatism Association. The results obtained were as follows: 1) In 26 of the cases, such electrocardiographic aberrations were observed as the following: broad P waves; mitral P-like patterns (either double peaked or with the mean P vector veering to the left in the frontal plane) ; prolongation of the P-Q interval; high amplitude of R in the left precordial lead; elevation or depression of S-T segments; low or flat T waves in the left precodial lead; prolongation of QTc ; and changes of directions of mean QRS and T vectors to the left in the frontal plane. 2) The frequecies of plainly pathologic findings were as follows: prolonged P-Q interval - 1 case (3.7%) ; RV5≧30mm - 3 cases (11.1%) ; elevation of S-T segment - 1 case (3.7%) ; depression of S-T segment - 3 cases (11.1%) ; and prolongation of QTc - 9 cases (33.3%). 3) Pathologic cardiac involvement was found in 13 patients (48.2% of the total group) while 3 other patients were classified as suspected cardiac involvement cases, defined as those characterized by more than three abnormal but non-pathologic findings. 4) Thus, the majority of the test group were characterized by some abnormal or pathologic electrocardiographic finddings, although clinically no heart diseases or cardiac insufficiency had been detected.
