Eosinophilic myocarditis-an unusual cause of left ventricular hypertrophy

Eosinophilic myocarditis is a rare condition in which inflammation of the heart results in an infiltrative cardiomyopathy that is often difficult to diagnose in the acute setting. It sometimes presents as left ventricular hypertrophy. The authors present a case of a 79-year-old woman with a history...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inThe American journal of the medical sciences Vol. 349; no. 4; p. 358
Main Authors Coffin, Samuel T, Benton, Jr, Stewart M, Lenihan, Daniel J, Naftilan, Allen J, Mendes, Lisa A
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.04.2015
Subjects
Aged
Echocardiography
Electrocardiography
Eosinophilia - complications
Eosinophilia - pathology
Female
Heart - physiopathology
Humans
Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular - etiology
Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular - pathology
Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular - physiopathology
Myocarditis - complications
Myocarditis - pathology
Myocardium - pathology
Online AccessGet more information

Cover

More Information
Summary:Eosinophilic myocarditis is a rare condition in which inflammation of the heart results in an infiltrative cardiomyopathy that is often difficult to diagnose in the acute setting. It sometimes presents as left ventricular hypertrophy. The authors present a case of a 79-year-old woman with a history of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who presented with acute heart failure with marked left ventricular hypertrophy. Echocardiography demonstrated abnormalities consistent with an infiltrative cardiomyopathy, and endomyocardial biopsy showed findings consistent with eosinophilic myocarditis. The patient was managed with diuresis and glucocorticoid therapy, and within 4 weeks of her admission, her clinical status had improved and her echocardiogram normalized. The prompt diagnosis and treatment of this patient's myocarditis likely resulted in her favorable outcome. This illustrates the need for a broad consideration of all the potential causes of hypertrophy and the necessary diagnostic strategies and therapeutic options.
ISSN:1538-2990
DOI:10.1097/MAJ.0000000000000344