[Acute eosinophilic myocarditis: a diagnostic and therapeutic emergency].
This report describes three histologically documented cases of acute eosinophilic myocarditis. These three cases illustrate the different clinical and therapeutic outcomes of this disease which can range from full recovery under prolonged corticosteroid treatment to requirement for emergency heart transplantation or death due to intractable cardiac insufficiency. In absence of specific clinical or laboratory data, diagnosis must be established in vivo by endomyocardial biopsy demonstrating eosinophil-rich inflammatory infiltration and necrotic lesions. Rapid decision-making is necessary to allow early initiation of intensive corticosteroid treatment without which the most likely outcome is death. Clinicopathological and experimental evidence suggests that acute eosinophilic myocarditis is caused by the cytotoxic effects of granule components (mainly major basic protein) released by activated polynuclear eosinophils.
Service de Cardiologie, Hôpital d'Instruction des Armées Laveran, Marseille, France.
L
L
Fourcade
P
P
Heno
G
G
Nguyen Hy Thuy
S
S
Mourot
J J
JJ
Cloix
D
D
Bonnet
J E
JE
Touze
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001706:Biopsy; D004630:Emergencies; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D017681:Hypereosinophilic Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D013256:Steroids
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D013256:Steroids
La myocardite aigue a eosinophiles: une urgence diagnostique et therapeutique.