title: Endomyocardial involvement in asymptomatic sub-Saharan immigrants with helminth-related eosinophilia.
abstract: Among immigrants of sub-Saharan origin, parasitic infection is the leading cause of eosinophilia, which is generally interpreted as a defense mechanism. A side effect of the inflammatory mediators released by eosinophils is damage to host organs, especially the heart. The main objectives of this study were to i) assess cardiac involvement in asymptomatic sub-Saharan immigrants with eosinophilia, ii) relate the presence of lesions with the degree of eosinophilia, and iii) study the relationship between cardiac involvement and the type of causative parasite.
  
  
  
  In total, the study included 50 black immigrants (37 patients and 13 controls) from sub-Saharan Africa. In all subjects, heart structure and function were evaluated in a blinded manner using Sonos 5500 echocardiographic equipment. The findings were classified and described according to established criteria. The diagnostic criteria for helminthosis were those reported in the literature. Serum eosinophil-derived neurotoxin levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A significant association was found between the presence of eosinophilia and structural alterations (mitral valve thickening). However, the lack of an association between the degree of eosinophilia and heart valve disease and the absence of valve involvement in some patients with eosinophilia suggest the role of other factors in the appearance of endocardial lesions. There was also no association between the type of helminth and valve involvement.
  
  
  
  We, therefore, suggest that transthoracic echocardiography be performed in every sub-Saharan individual with eosinophilia in order to rule out early heart valve lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgery Sciences, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.|Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Division, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular Materno Infantil, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2768-0072
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carranza-Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgery Sciences, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.|Cardiology Division, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular Materno Infantil, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: San-Román-Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Division, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular Materno Infantil, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
authors.forename: Héctor
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Marrero-Santiago
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgery Sciences, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.|Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Division, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular Materno Infantil, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hernández-Cabrera
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Division, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular Materno Infantil, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gil-Guillén
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgery Sciences, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.|Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Division, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular Materno Infantil, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pisos-Álamo
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgery Sciences, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.|Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Division, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular Materno Infantil, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
authors.forename: Nieves
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jaén-Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgery Sciences, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.|Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Division, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular Materno Infantil, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
authors.forename: José-Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Pérez-Arellano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000352:Africa, Northern; D000818:Animals; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases; D004452:Echocardiography; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000150:complications* / Q000469:parasitology; D006376:Helminths / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055815:Young Adult