J Cardiovasc Ultrasound.  2010 Mar;18(1):21-24. 10.4250/jcu.2010.18.1.21.

A Case of Loeffler's Endocarditis Associated with Churg-Strauss Syndrome

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Cardiology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. jmsong@amc.seoul.kr

Abstract

Loeffler's endocarditis is generally caused by hypereosinophilic syndrome. It is a restrictive cardiomyopathy characterized with eosinophilia and eosionophilic penetration leading to the fibrous thickening of endocardium of both ventricles, apical obliteration and heart failure. We report a case of a 23-year-old male with Loeffler's endocarditis caused by Churg-Strauss syndrome. The echocardiogram showed that biventricular failure with large thrombus in left ventricle. His symptoms and typical echocardiographic findings markedly improved within 2 months after treatment for Churg-Strauss syndrome.

Keyword

Loeffler's endocarditis; Churg-Strauss syndrome

MeSH Terms

Cardiomyopathy, Restrictive
Churg-Strauss Syndrome
Endocardium
Eosinophilia
Heart Failure
Heart Ventricles
Humans
Hypereosinophilic Syndrome
Male
Thrombosis
Young Adult

Figure

  • Fig. 1 Initial chest PA (A) and lateral (B) films show bilateral pleural effusion and subsegmental collapse and consolidation on right lower lung field.

  • Fig. 2 Initial electrocardiogram shows tachycardia, low QRS-wave, and T-wave inversion in precordial and limb leads.

  • Fig. 3 Initial transthoracic echocardiography shows mildly enlarged left ventricle with depressed ejection fraction, and echogenic thrombus (2.1×2.3 cm) in the apex (arrows) (A, B and C). Left ventricular function is improved and size of the apical thrombus is decreased after 2 months of treatment for Churg-Strauss syndrome (D, E and F).

  • Fig. 4 Initial mitral inflow (A) and tissue Doppler image (B) show restrictive left ventricular filling pattern.


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