Löffler's endocarditis and endomyocardial fibrosis--a nosologic entity?
The problem whether Löffler's endocarditis and endomyocardial fibrosis belong to the same disease spectrum or are separate entities is still under debate. Until recently it was believed that endomyocardial fibrosis was a disorder restricted to tropical areas. Three Danish patients are presented, two showing a continuous disease spectrum, one patient showing the fully developed endomyocardial fibrosis which is indistinguishable from endomyocardial fibrosis described from the tropical areas. Eosinophilia was present in all three patients. The findings described in these three patients lend support to the unitarian hypothesis that Löffler's endocarditis and endomyocardial fibrosis belong to the same disease spectrum, and that the eosinophilic granulocyte may be the underlying cause.
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D004696:Endocarditis / Q000145:classification* / Q000473:pathology; D004699:Endocardium / Q000473:pathology; D004719:Endomyocardial Fibrosis / Q000145:classification* / Q000473:pathology; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology