title: A geochemical basis for endomyocardial fibrosis.
abstract: Analysis of hearts of patients dying from endomyocardial fibrosis showed a significantly greater concentration of cerium, a lanthanide present in leafy vegetables and root tubers, than in control hearts. This may be important in the pathogenesis of the disease and provides a geographical basis for the prevalence of the disease in the tropics.
authors.affiliation: ICMR Centre for Research in Cardiomyopathy, Trivandrum, India.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Valiathan
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Kartha
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Eapen
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Dang
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Sunta
mesh_terms: D002563:Cerium / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D004719:Endomyocardial Fibrosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005506:Food Contamination; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000378:metabolism; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis; D014330:Tropical Medicine
chemical_list: D012987:Soil; D002563:Cerium