Loeffler endocarditis in young woman - a case report

Pol Merkur Lekarski. 2016 Nov 25;41(245):231-237.

Abstract

Loeffler endocarditis is a rare acquired endocardial and myocardial disease characterized by a sharp decrease in the compliance of either or both ventricles with an acute diastolic dysfunction and massive mural thrombosis. This disease is presented in the classification of cardiomyopathies and is a variant of restrictive cardiomyopathy. Today Loeffler endocarditis is considered as a manifestation of hypereosinophilic syndrome with predominant heart involvement. The life-time diagnosis of myocardial injury due to eosinophilic infiltration is rare, or it is diagnosed at the stage of necrotizing endomyocarditis, when the treatment is no longer effective. A number of issues regarding the individual aspects of the pathogenesis of hypereosinophilic syndrome and Loeffler endocarditis are still not fully understood, as well as the long-term prospects for the use of drugs for the treatment of hypereosinophilic syndrome, especially in young and middle-aged persons. Loeffler endocarditis can be suspected in the presence of hypereosinophilia on the background of causeless (unexplainable) hypertrophy of the left ventricle or both ventricles. The article includes a case of the life-time diagnosis of this disease in a young woman with the retrospective analysis of the early stages of the disease, echocardiographic and radiologic imaging at the advanced stage of the disease and quite successful treatment option for this disease.

Keywords: Loeffler endocarditis; hypereosinophilic syndrome; restrictive cardiomyopathy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Benzazepines / therapeutic use*
  • Bisoprolol / therapeutic use*
  • Cardiovascular Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Endocardium / diagnostic imaging*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypereosinophilic Syndrome / diagnosis*
  • Hypereosinophilic Syndrome / drug therapy*
  • Hypereosinophilic Syndrome / physiopathology
  • Ivabradine
  • Poland
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Benzazepines
  • Cardiovascular Agents
  • Ivabradine
  • Bisoprolol