(Circulation. 1998;97:1025.)
© 1998 American Heart Association, Inc.
Images in Cardiovascular Medicine |
Löffler's Endocarditis
Friedrich M. Fruhwald, MD;
Ferdinand Aglas, MD;
Martin Schumacher, MD;
Robert Zweiker, MD;
Bernd Eber, MD;
; Werner Klein, MD
From the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology,
Karl-Franzens University, Graz, Austria.
Correspondence to Friedrich M. Fruhwald, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Karl-Franzens-University of Graz, A-8036 Graz, Austria.
This Figure
shows a case of a rare syndrome, Löffler's endocarditis, in vivo
by echocardiography in an apical four-chamber view
with biventricular apical thrombi.
The patient, a 50-year-old white man, revealed
biventricular thrombi despite oral anticoagulation, an
eosinophilia of up to 49%, loss of weight (18 kg), and pleural
effusion. Echocardiography showed a mass in both
ventricles and a restrictive filling pattern that was confirmed by MR
imaging of the heart. After initiation of treatment with prednisolone
and hydroxyurea, the patient's condition improved markedly, the
biventricular mass decreased, and pleural effusion
disappeared.
Footnotes
The editor of Images in Cardiovascular Medicine is Hugh A. McAllister, Jr, MD, Chief, Department of Pathology, St Luke's Episcopal Hospital and Texas Heart Institute, and Clinical Professor of Pathology, University of Texas Medical School and Baylor College of Medicine.
Circulation encourages readers to submit cardiovascular images to Dr Hugh A. McAllister, Jr, St Luke's Episcopal Hospital and Texas Heart Institute, 6720 Bertner Ave, MC1-267, Houston, TX 77030.
