title: Eosinophilic myocarditis-an unusual cause of left ventricular hypertrophy.
abstract: Eosinophilic myocarditis is a rare condition in which inflammation of the heart results in an infiltrative cardiomyopathy that is often difficult to diagnose in the acute setting. It sometimes presents as left ventricular hypertrophy. The authors present a case of a 79-year-old woman with a history of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who presented with acute heart failure with marked left ventricular hypertrophy. Echocardiography demonstrated abnormalities consistent with an infiltrative cardiomyopathy, and endomyocardial biopsy showed findings consistent with eosinophilic myocarditis. The patient was managed with diuresis and glucocorticoid therapy, and within 4 weeks of her admission, her clinical status had improved and her echocardiogram normalized. The prompt diagnosis and treatment of this patient's myocarditis likely resulted in her favorable outcome. This illustrates the need for a broad consideration of all the potential causes of hypertrophy and the necessary diagnostic strategies and therapeutic options.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Samuel T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Coffin
authors.forename: Stewart M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Benton
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lenihan
authors.forename: Allen J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Naftilan
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Mendes
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology