J Cardiovasc Ultrasound.  2008 Dec;16(4):136-139. 10.4250/jcu.2008.16.4.136.

Loeffler's Endocarditis due to Idiopathic Hypereosinophilic Syndrome

Affiliations
  • 1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Dongsan Medical Center, Keimyung University, Daegu, Korea. khyungseop@dsmc.or.kr

Abstract

Loeffler's endocarditis, a rare cardiac manifestation of hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES), is characterized by fibrous thickening of the endocardium of both ventricles, leading to apical obliteration and heart failure. We report a case of a 41-year-old male with slowly progressive right-sided heart failure symptoms. The complete blood count showed hypereosinophilia and the echocardiogram revealed that the both ventricles were filled with large amount of thrombus. His symptoms and typical echocardiographic findings markedly improved within several weeks after steroid and anticoagulation therapy.

Keyword

Loeffler's endocarditis; Hypereosinophilic syndrome

MeSH Terms

Adult
Blood Cell Count
Endocardium
Heart Failure
Humans
Hypereosinophilic Syndrome
Male
Thrombosis

Figure

  • Fig. 1 Apical 4 chamber view of initial echocardiography showed apical homogeneous materials (arrows) suggestive of thrombi in the both ventricles (A). Right ventricular inflow view of initial echocardiography showed severe right atrial enlargement and large amount of thrombus filling in right ventricle (B). Apical 4 chamber view of follow up on the 15th hospital day showed marked resolution of thrombus at both ventricular apices (C).

  • Fig. 2 Computerized tomography of the chest showed apical obliterations of both ventricles by non-enhanced homogenous materials (arrow) consistent with the echocardiographic findings. The non-enhanced density material (arrowhead) was also noted in the enlarged right atrium.


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