Left ventricular dysfunction in Churg-Strauss syndrome

Churg-Strauss syndrome is a rare disorder characterized by hypereosinophilia and a systemic vasculitis occurring inpatients with asthma and allergic rhinitis. Vasculitis commonly affects the lungs, the heart, the skin, and the peripheral nervous system. Cardiac involvement is characterized by acute and constrictive pericarditis, myocarditis and endocarditis, as well as ischemic cardiomyopathy. Endomyocardial fibrosis similar to Loeffler's syndrome has been rarely described. In the presented case, a 43 year old man with a history of allergy and asthma suffered from increasing dyspnea, fever, pulmonary infiltates and cardiomyopathy. Laboratory studies were notable for marked hypereosinophilia. In a bronchoscopic lavage and transbronchial biopsy eosinophilic infiltrates accompanied by vasculitis were found, Churg-Strauss syndrome was diagnosed. Echocardiogram showed endomyocardial deposits in the apex of the right ventricle, right ventricular function was normal particular in the basal segments. The left ventricle was slightly enlarged and left ventricular function was impaired. The diastolic mitral in-flow showed a restrictive pattern. Additionally, a pericardial effusion was observed without signs of tamponade. The patient received corticosteroids, cyclophosphamide and cardiomyopathy-specific therapy and showed a marked improvement after 4 months.     

Churg-strauss syndrome

First described in 1951 as an allergic and granulomatous angiitis, Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is a small-vessel vasculitis. Mean age at the time of diagnosis is approximately 50 years, with a sex ratio around 1. Asthma is the central feature of CSS and precedes the systemic manifestations in almost all cases, whereas 70% of the patients have maxillary sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and/or sinus polyposis. General symptoms are frequent, and associated with pulmonary infiltrates in 38 to 77% of the patients; peripheral neuropathy, usually mononeuritis multiplex, in 64 to 75%; skin involvement in 40 to 70%; and gastrointestinal tract symptoms in 37 to 62%. Cardiac involvement is common, with pericarditis in 23% of the patients and myocarditis in 13%, and represents the primary cause of mortality. Hypereosinophilia is the main biological feature of CSS, whereas antineutrophil cytoplasm antibodies (ANCA), especially anti-myeloperoxidase (MPO), are found in one third to one half of the patients. Triggering factors, such as vaccination, desensitization, or exposure to leukotriene-receptor antagonists, have been suspected as contributing to the development of CSS, but its etiology has not yet been fully elucidated. T-helper type 2 (Th2) lymphocytes, by analogy with the pathogenesis of asthma, eosinophils infiltrating tissues, and anti-MPO ANCA are probably implicated in the pathogenesis of vasculitic lesions. CSS usually responds rapidly to corticosteroids. Adjunction of cyclophosphamide is indicated when at least one factor of poor prognosis is present. With treatment, remission is obtained in more than 80% of the patients, but it is often impossible to withdraw corticosteroids completely because of residual asthma. Relapses occur in 25% of the patients, half during the first year. The 10-year survival rate was 79% for our patients, with 73% of them requiring low-dose prednisone maintenance therapy for persistent asthma.     

Effects of corticosteroids and immunosuppressors on idiopathic inflammatory myopathy related myocarditis evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging

BACKGROUND: Cardiac involvement in idiopathic inflammatory myopathy has been recognised as an important prognostic factor, but treatment remains empirical. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of corticosteroids and immunosuppressors on myocarditis in patients with inflammatory myopathies. METHODS: Patients with inflammatory myositis of recent onset who had not received treatment were evaluated for associated myocarditis by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and reinvestigated after treatment with high dose corticosteroids and immunosuppressors. RESULTS: Four patients with histologically proven myositis were included. Two patients with polymyositis had cardiac clinical symptoms. Two other patients with dermatomyositis and diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis-polymyositis overlap syndrome were asymptomatic. In three cases the usual conventional screening tests were normal. For all patients an area of contrast enhancement and hypokinesia detected by cardiac MRI was markedly reduced after treatment with corticosteroids and immunosuppressors for 6 months. CONCLUSION: Treatment with intravenous methylprednisolone followed by prednisone and immunosuppressive therapy seems to be effective for treating myocardial involvement in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, either alone or presenting as overlap syndromes. Cardiovascular MRI is a non-invasive technique that may be a powerful tool for diagnosis and monitoring of myocardial inflammation in this setting.     

Clinical characteristics of lupus myocarditis in Korea

Clinically important myocarditis is an unusual feature in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We describe the clinical characteristics, management and outcomes of five SLE patients who developed severe left ventricular dysfunction. Four patients were female with mean age of 36.4 years. Three patients had both lupus myocarditis and lupus nephritis. Four patients had raised anti-dsDNA antibody titer and low complement level and two patients had positive IgG anticardiolipin antibody. Three patients were treated by high-dose corticosteroids, one patient by intravenous pulse methylprednisolone, and one patient by intravenous immunoglobulin and pulse cyclophosphamide with high dose corticosteroids. Left ventricular function improved markedly in four patients and all of them had no recurrence of lupus myocarditis up to follow-up of 33 months. However, one patient, who showed no improvement of left ventricular function, was expired due to sudden cardiac arrest. Lupus myocarditis should be treated by immunosuppressive therapy with high-dose corticosteroids and mostly the prognosis might be good with early treatment.     

A Case of Behçet Disease Myocarditis Documented Using Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Acute myocarditis is extremely rare in patients with Behçet disease. Here we report a case of a 32-year-old man with a history of oral ulcerations who was admitted for fever and chest pain. On examination, he had bipolar ulcers with pseudofolliculitis and a positive pathergy test. Electrocardiogram and transthoracic echocardiography were normal. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging revealed left ventricular inferior and lateral wall late gadolinium enhancement. A diagnosis of acute myocarditis revealing Behçet disease was made, and the patient was treated with colchicine and pulses of methylprednisolone, and cyclophosphamide. A 7-month follow-up magnetic resonance image showed a substantial decrease in the late gadolinium enhancement area.     

Intérêt de l’imagerie par résonance magnétique nucléaire au cours de l’atteinte cardiaque du syndrome de Churg-Strauss. Trois observations et revue de la littérature

Purpose

The reported prevalence of cardiac complications is variable in patients with Churg-Strauss syndrome (15–92%) and depends on diagnostic tools. Diagnosis at early stage of heart involvement is crucial, resulting in appropriate management.

Methods

We report three patients who developed cardiac manifestations, revealing Churg-Strauss syndrome. The diagnosis of cardiac involvement was obtained using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Results

Two patients were males and the remaining one was a female. Presenting clinical manifestations were: cardiac failure (n = 1) and retrosternal pain (n = 2). Laboratory findings disclosed: high blood count of eosinophils (range: 6000–11 000/mm³); antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies were positive in a single patient. Cardiac MRI demonstrated: (1) late gadolinium enhancement (n = 3), involving mainly the apical and mid-cavity left ventricular segments; (2) impaired left ventricular function (n = 2), mean left ventricular ejection fraction being: 51%; and (3) pericardial effusion (n = 3). Outcome was favourable after institution of combined therapy with prednisone and cyclophosphamide (n = 2); one patient also underwent plasma exchanges.

Conclusion

Our case series underlines that MRI is a helpful tool in the diagnosis of Churg-Strauss syndrome-related cardiac complications. We further suggest that clinical assessment of patients with Churg-Strauss syndrome should include cardiac MRI, in order to detect cardiac involvement at an early stage; indeed, because cardiac manifestations are predictive factors of poor prognosis, diagnosis at early stages of cardiac involvement may result in improvement of patients management.     

磁共振成像在鉴别心肌梗死后左心室室壁瘤中的应用

目的 探讨心脏磁共振成像(MRI)鉴别诊断心肌梗死后左心室真、假性室壁瘤的价值.方法 分析经病理证实的心肌梗死后左心室室壁瘤患者共26例(男22例,女4例).所有患者均行心脏MRI、超声心动图及冠状动脉造影检查,并与病理检查结果对照.结果 患者平均年龄(59.3±9.3)岁.其中胸闷气短24例,15例伴发高血压.超声心动图检查诊断左心室真性室壁瘤22例,假性室壁瘤4例;左心室附壁血栓5例,左心室射血分数为36.9%±9.1%.心脏MRI发现24例患者受累左心室壁厚度＜5.5 mm,2例患者厚度5.5～8.0 mm.24例患者左心室室壁存在矛盾运动,2例患者受累室壁无运动;左心室舒张末期横径(67.8±9.3)mm,室壁瘤最宽处直径(35.1±13.8)mm.心脏MRI诊断真性室壁瘤23例,假性室壁瘤3例,7例患者左心室存在附壁血栓.与病理结果对照,心脏MRI诊断结果与病理一致,而超声心动图检查误诊假性室壁瘤1例,漏诊左心室附壁血栓2例.结论 心脏 MRI 能够准确鉴别心肌梗死后左心室真、假性室壁瘤.

Abstract：

Objective To observe the value of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)for differentiation of true from false left ventricular aneurysm in patients after myocardial infraction(MI).Methods Twenty-six patients[22 males/4 females, mean age(59.3 ± 9. 3)years]with left ventricular aneurysm after MI were imaged with MRI, echocardiography and coronary angiography. The respective findings were compared with surgical pathology results. Results There were 24 patients with dyspnea and 15patients with hypertension. LVEF measured by echocardiography was 36. 9% ±9. 1% in this patient cohort.Cardiac MRI showed that the left ventricular end diastolic wall thickness was thinner than 5.5 mm in 24cases, and between 5.5 to 8 mm in 2 cases. The dimension of left ventricle was(67. 8 ± 9. 3)mm.Dyskinesia presented in 24 cases, and akinesia in 2 cases. Delayed enhancement was shown in all cases by MRI. Cardiac MRI detected left ventricular true aneurysm in 23 cases, false aneurysm in 3 case and left ventricular thrombi in 7 cases. The diagnosis by magnetic resonance imaging corresponded well to pathological findings. Echocardiography misdiagnosed pseudoaneurysm in 1 patient, and failed to detected left ventricular thrombi in 2 cases. Conclusion Cardiac MRI could correctly differentiate true from false left ventricular aneurysm in patients after MI.     

Churg-Strauss syndrome revealed by granulomatous acute pericarditis: two case reports and a review of the literature

BACKGROUND: Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is a necrotizing systemic vasculitis with extravascular granulomas and eosinophilic infiltrates of small vessels. CSS is usually revealed by nonspecific signs of necrotizing vasculitis in a context of late-onset asthma and blood eosinophilia. It is considered a systemic vasculitis with the highest prevalence of cardiac involvement and can lead to rapid-onset heart failure due to specific cardiomyopathy. Pericardial effusion may also occur during CSS and is usually well tolerated. OBJECTIVE: The objective of these case reports was to indicate that CSS may present as tamponade, with or without other visceral involvement. METHODS: Among CSS patients treated during the past 10 years at 2 French university hospitals, we have identified and described 2 cases revealed by tamponade with pericardial biopsy-proven granulomatous vasculitis. We have also reviewed the international medical literature in PubMed on cardiac involvement in CSS. RESULTS: The first case report describes a 66-year-old man who had an isolated cardiac tamponade with both inflammatory syndrome and eosinophilia. Long-term remission was obtained with corticosteroids. The second case report describes a 46-year-old woman whose CSS presented with tamponade and associated central nervous system and myocardial involvement. Remission was obtained with corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide. In both cases, CSS was assessed by histological analysis of a pericardial sample. CONCLUSIONS: CSS may present as isolated cardiac tamponade. Whereas pericarditis with myocardial injury warrants immunosuppressive therapy, isolated pericarditis without other visceral involvement of poor prognosis only requires corticosteroid therapy.     

Acute lupus myocarditis: clinical features and outcome of an oriental case series

Symptomatic myocarditis in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is uncommon. We describe the clinical characteristics, management and outcomes of 11 SLE patients without any atherosclerotic risk factors, who presented with acute lupus myocarditis (ALM). All patients were female, 46% Chinese with mean age of 27 +/- 10 years at diagnosis of SLE. ALM was one of the initial manifestations of SLE in eight (73%) patients. The median duration from onset ALM to initiation of treatment was two weeks (range: 0.3-8). All had clinical feature of left ventricle dysfunction. The most common electrocardiographic feature was nonspecific ST/T wave changes (91%). Common echocardiographic findings included segmental wall motion abnormalities (81%) and decreased left ventricular ejection fraction (81%). Median SLE disease activity index at presentation was 16 (range: 4-30). All patients received high dose corticosteroids and 64% received intravenous pulse cyclophosphamide. There were two deaths (18%) from infections. The remaining nine survivors had no recurrence of ALM nor suffer any SLE-related damage (median SLICC damage score of 0), up to a median follow-up of four years (range: 2.5-10.1). Repeat echocardiography after six months or later showed normal LVEF in eight patients (89%). Early immunosuppressive therapy in ALM, with high dose corticosteroids and pulse intravenous cyclophosphamide, results in good cardiac outcome.     

Allergic angiitis with granulomatosis: Churg-Strauss syndrome. Retrospective study of 16 cases

Sixteen patients with Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS), a disorder characterized by hypereosinophilia and systemic vasculities which complicate preexisting asthma, were analyzed. The mean duration of asthma before CSS was 8 years; peripheral blood eosinophilia was always greater than 1,900/microliters and exceeded 5,000/microliters in 14 cases. The clinical manifestations were the following: 16 in generally poor condition with fever; 12 peripheral neuropathies; 11 cutaneous lesions; 9 pericardial or myocardial involvement; 9 digestive disorders; 9 muscular or articular diseases; 5 renal involvement, all associated with the vasculitis; 7 upper respiratory tract disorders. Chest radiographs showed pleuropulmonary or cardiac anomalies in 11 patients. The diagnosis was confirmed histologically in 11 cases, however, no clinical, biological or evolutive differences were observed between these patients and those with negative biopsies (5). Follow-up for 6.35 +/- 5.55 years was characterized by relapses always preceded by increased eosinophilia. Fourteen patients were successfully treated with corticosteroids, associated with cyclophosphamide in 7 of them. Five-year survival was 87%. Four deaths occurred, all CSS-associated, two because of a poorly adapted therapeutic regimen. The need for rapid and effective treatment must be stressed. The diagnosis can be made based on clinical manifestations alone before histological confirmation can be obtained.     

Clinical manifestations of influenza a myocarditis during the influenza epidemic of winter 1998-1999.

OBJECTIVES: The clinical features of myocarditis that developed during the influenza epidemic of winter 1998-1999 were investigated to emphasize the need for medical attention to this disease. METHODS: Nine patients were treated under diagnoses of acute myocarditis during the winter of 1998-1999. Five (two males and three females, mean age 52 +/- 18 years) were examined with myocarditis associated with influenza A. The diagnosis of influenza A myocarditis was based on electrocardiographic and echocardiographic abnormalities, increased creatine kinase levels and at least a four-fold increase in influenza A virus titers using paired sera. RESULTS: All patients had preceding flu-like symptoms and fever. Cardiac involvement developed between 4 and 7 days after the onset of influenza symptoms. Dyspnea progressively worsened in three patients, one went into shock and one had persistent fever, cough and mild dyspnea without apparent cardiac symptoms. Three patients had ST elevation associated with Q waves and one had complete left bundle branch block. The creatine kinase levels were abnormally increased and global wall motion of the left ventricle on echocardiography was decreased in all patients. Two patients had diagnoses of fulminant myocarditis. One patient died of pneumonia following cerebral infarction, but the left ventricular dysfunction normalized in the remaining four patients. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac involvement occurred between 4 and 7 days after the onset of influenza symptoms, and worsening dyspnea was the most common symptom. Electrocardiography, echocardiography and creatine kinase levels should be checked to determine the potential for cardiac involvement when patients present with suspected influenza associated with worsening dyspnea or prolonged weakness. Increasing the awareness of influenza myocarditis may help in the earlier identification and treatment of this disease during influenza epidemics.     

A case of lymphocytic myocarditis in a patient treated with an immune checkpoint inhibitor,a recent class of chemotherapy agents

Chemotherapy-associated cardiotoxicity is a common adverse event. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) – a new class of monoclonal antibodies – have revolutionized the management of various diseases. Their use is expected to increase in the near future and their cardiac side effects have been increasingly recognized.Clinical caseWe describe a case of a 67-year-old female patient with urothelial carcinoma undergoing treatment with pembrolizumab who presented to the emergency department with progressive fatigue, retrosternal pain and palpitations for three days. On admission she was diagnosed with acute heart failure (HF). The electrocardiogram revealed a right bundle branch block and ventricular bigeminy. Blood tests showed elevated troponin I, while transthoracic echocardiography revealed severe left ventricular dysfunction. Coronary angiography excluded coronary artery disease. Cardiac magnetic resonance revealed moderate left ventricular dysfunction and late gadolinium enhancement typical of myocarditis. Endomyocardial biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of lymphocytic myocarditis. In the first 48h of hospitalization, she developed transient complete AV block. Corticoid and HF therapy were initiated, leading to symptom improvement and disappearance of the rhythm disturbances. She was discharged on the 12th day, maintaining moderate LV dysfunction, which improved only mildly at a subsequent outpatient assessment. She died suddenly 35 days after discharge.ConclusionLymphocytic myocarditis is a serious cardiac side effect of ICI therapy. Pembrolizumab is increasingly used, so it is important to be aware of its effects, in order to perform an early diagnosis and provide adequate treatment. Corticosteroid therapy seems to be crucial in preventing disease progression and enabling ventricular remodeling.     

Mesalamine-induced myocarditis following diagnosis of Crohn's disease: A case report

Mesalamine is a common treatment for Crohn's disease, and can be rarely associated with myocarditis through a mechanism of drug hypersensitivity. We present the case of a 19-year-old male who developed chest pain two weeks after beginning mesalamine therapy. The electrocardiogram showed slight ST-segment elevation with upward concavity in the inferolateral leads; blood tests demonstrated elevated troponin I and the echocardiogram revealed moderately depressed left ventricular systolic function with global hypocontractility. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the diagnosis of myocarditis, revealing multiple areas of subepicardial fibrosis. The onset of symptoms after mesalamine, and improvement of chest pain, cardiac biomarkers and left ventricular systolic function after discontinuing the drug, suggest that our patient suffered from a rare drug-hypersensitivity reaction to mesalamine.     

Churg–Strauss Syndrome Associated with Rapid Deterioration of Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction and Conduction Disturbance

Cardiac involvement in Churg–Strauss syndrome (CSS) is a major cause of mortality. Here we report a case of a 75‐year‐old woman with eosinophilic endomyocarditis due to CSS. An electrocardiogram showed intraventricular conduction delay, and echocardiography showed an impaired relaxation pattern and biventricular apical thickening. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed subendocardial delayed enhancement with biventricular apical thrombi. Endomyocardial biopsy showed perivascular eosinophilic infiltration. Despite resolution of the hypereosinophilia after steroid therapy, her left ventricular (LV) diastolic function worsened into a restrictive pattern and she died with a ventricular escape rhythm on her 14th day in the hospital. This case is unusual in that there was rapid progression of the LV diastolic dysfunction and conduction disturbance due to CSS.     

Cardiac sarcoidosis masquerading as syncope with right ventricular septal mass

Cardiac sarcoid remains a challenging diagnostic entity. Electrical abnormalities in sarcoid myocarditis range from heart blocks to lethal ventricular tachycardias. Sarcoid granulomas have predilection for left ventricular side and basal septum in cardiac involvement. We present a case of sarcoid myocarditis presenting as mass involving the entire right ventricular side of the interventricular septum.     

Churg–Strauss syndrome presenting with eosinophilic myocarditis: A diagnostic challenge

Churg–Strauss syndrome (CSS) is an unusual disease that presents as systemic vasculitis and peripheral eosinophilia in patients with an atopic constitution. Cardiac involvement is unusual and often not prominent on initial presentation, but is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with CSS. We report the case of a young woman with severe acute myocarditis. Coronary arteriography demonstrated extensive focal vasculopathy, consistent with coronary vasculitis, and myocardial biopsy showed eosinophilic myocarditis. This presentation led to an initial diagnosis of CSS in this patient and appropriate therapy resulted in a spectacular remission of disease activity.     

Acute painless monocular visual loss due to central retinal artery occlusion in a patient with Churg–Strauss vasculitis

Ocular involvement in Churg–Strauss syndrome (CSS) is infrequent. We describe a case of a 50-year-old woman, with blood eosinophilia, involvement of the respiratory tract, skin, and peripheral nervous system, fulfilling the American College of Rheumatology criteria for CSS, who presented with left foot drop followed by left acute painless visual loss. Central retinal artery occlusion was diagnosed by fundoscopic findings (retinal whitening with a cherry-red spot). CSS was confirmed by sural nerve biopsy. Despite treatment with high-dose corticosteroids, cyclophosphamide, and anticoagulant therapy, visual acuity was not substantially improved. Acute blindness in CSS has been rarely described. Even more rarely, central retinal artery occlusion has been found to be the underlying cause of this infrequent clinical manifestation in CSS.     

Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Chronic Chagas' Disease: Correlation with Endomyocardial Biopsy Findings and Gallium-67 Cardiac Uptake

BACKGROUND: We studied the correlation among cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), gallium-67 myocardial uptake, and right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy results in chronic Chagas' disease. To our knowledge, this represents the first attempt to correlate the histological findings with cardiac MRI and gallium-67 myocardial uptake for noninvasive diagnosis of inflammatory activity associated with Chagas' disease. METHODS: Ten male patients with cardiomyopathy secondary to Chagas' disease were studied (mean age, 47.7 +/- 7 years; congestive heart failure New York Heart Association [NYHA] functional class II [two patients], III [six patients], and IV [two patients]; and mean echocardiographic left ventricular [LV] ejection fraction [EF], 36 +/- 6%). The patients underwent right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy, cardiac MRI, and gallium-67 myocardial uptake testing. The results of this group were compared with those of a control group of patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy who were matched in age (mean age, 46 +/- 10 years), LV function (mean echocardiographic EF, 30 +/- 4%), and NYHA classification (one patient in class II, five patients in class III, and one patient in class IV). RESULTS: All patients with Chagas' disease showed higher signal intensity on MRI after the administration of gadolinium. The intensity of the septal signal changed from 0.90 +/- 0.11 to 1.56 +/- 0.19 (P < 0.001). In the control group, there was no difference in signal intensity with gadolinium (mean septal intensity, 0.94 +/- 0.12 before and 0.99 +/- 0.15 after; NS). On biopsy, eight chagasic patients had evident signs of myocarditis, and two patients had borderline evidence myocarditis. However, only one patient in the control group had a histological diagnosis of borderline myocarditis. Gallium-67 cardiac uptake was positive for myocardial inflammatory process in seven chagasic patients and borderline in one. On the other hand, only one patient in the control group had an uptake that was positive for inflammation, and one had a borderline result. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the data from this study strongly suggest that myocarditis is frequently found in Chagas' disease. Cardiac MRI appears to be an accurate and alternative method for the diagnosis of inflammatory process associated with Chagas' disease.     

Apport de l’IRM cardiaque dans l’évaluation initiale et le suivi des myocardites mimant un syndrome coronaire aigu : à propos d’une série de 43 patients

Aims

The diagnosis of acute myocarditis is complex, especially when the clinical presentation mimics an acute coronary syndrome. This condition may promote the progression to dilated cardiomyopathy and the occurrence of severe arrhythmias. A reassessment integrating a cardiac MRI at three months after the acute episode could help identify patients with a poor prognosis.

Patients and results

This prospective series of 43 consecutive patients hospitalised for acute myocarditis included 36 men and seven women, with a mean age of 32 years, with no indication of heart failure. All patients presented elevated levels of troponin I. Echocardiography showed moderate left ventricular dysfunction in six cases and segmental wall motion abnormalities in 22 cases. After gadolinium injection, a subepicardial late enhancement was observed in 39 cases. Three months after the acute episode, all patients were asymptomatic. The echocardiography and laboratory tests were normal. In 23 cases, the MRI showed persistence of the late enhancement without segmental wall motion abnormality. After a mean follow-up of three years, one patient was lost to follow-up and only one suffered a heart failure revealing a dilated cardiomyopathy complicated by ventricular arrhythmias.

Conclusion

On admission, the subepicardial localisation of late enhancement in the cardiac MRI is reliable criteria for the diagnosis of acute myocarditis, enabling to rule out an acute coronary syndrome. During follow-up, the persistence of late enhancement has no impact on prognosis. In this series, after a mean follow-up of three years, it was not associated with clinical or paraclinical abnormalities, except in one patient.     

心肌肌钙蛋白T(cTnT)在心肌炎中的动态变化及与心功能的相关性

目的:探讨心肌肌钙蛋白T(cTnT)在心肌炎中的动态变化及其与心功能的相关性。方法:对2007年7月～2012年7月入住我院的28例心肌炎(心肌炎组)、24例疑似心肌炎(疑似心肌炎组)以及32例健康体检者(健康对照组),检测各组cTnT、肌酸激酶(CK)、肌酸激酶同工酶(CK-MB)水平,且对cTnT与心功能相关性进行分析。结果:(1)心肌炎组cTnT浓度明显高于疑似心肌炎组与健康对照组[(0.37±0.13)ng/ml比(0.19±0.07)ng/ml、(0.17±0.05)ng/ml),P<0.01];(2)cTnT与心脏指数(CI)、左室射血分数(LVEF)、肺动脉血流加速时间(AT)、相对室壁厚度(RWT)均呈负相关性(r=-0.723～-0.441,P<0.05或<0.01),与左室质量指数(LVMI)、左室舒张末期内径(LVEDd)、左室内径(LAD)、室间隔厚度(IVST)及左室后壁厚度(LVPWT)均呈正相关性(r=0.387～0.763,P均<0.05)。结论:心肌肌钙蛋白T水平是评价心肌炎心功能的一个重要指标。