[Cardiovascular manifestations of eosinophilia: clinical and echocardiographic presentation].
BACKGROUND
Endomyocardial fibrosis with apical obliteration is the best known involvement among heart lesions induced by hypereosinophilia. However, hypereosinophilic heart disease may involve all three heart layers, with a polymorphic clinical and echocardiographic presentation.


METHODS
Retrospective descriptive study of five patients highlighting the various manifestations of hypereosinophilic heart disease.


RESULTS
We report five cases illustrating the variety of hypereosinophilic heart disease and review the pathophysiology of this potentially severe illness: cytotoxicity of eosinophils is mediated by the release of granular proteins that primarily damage the endocardium, leading to thrombosis and embolic complications, then to fibrosis and valvular complications; myocardial involvement may induce a dreadful acute eosinophilic myocarditis; finally, pericardial involvement may cause tamponade.


CONCLUSIONS
These observations highlight the whole spectrum of the heart manifestations of hypereosinophilia, remind that the vital prognosis may be involved in the acute phase and underline that functional prognosis depends on early detection and treatment to reduce the risk of early thromboembolic and late fibrotic complications.
Eicher
J-C
JC
Centre de cardiologie clinique et interventionnelle, hôpital du Bocage, centre hospitalo-universitaire, 2, boulevard Maréchal-de-Lattre-de-Tassigny, BP 77908, 21079 Dijon cedex, France. jean-christophe.eicher@chu-dijon.fr
Bonnotte
B
B
L'huillier
I
I
Cottin
Y
Y
Potard
D
D
Abou Taam
J
J
Muller
G
G
Guy
H
H
Tent
J-P
JP
Wolf
J-E
JE
D000328:Adult; D000790:Angiocardiography; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004719:Endomyocardial Fibrosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D010493:Pericarditis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013616:Tachycardia, Sinus / Q000209:etiology