Publication
Transient left ventricular "hypertrophy" in a woman with meningoencephalitis
Journal Paper/Review - Aug 1, 2006
Maeder Micha, Wolber Thomas, Rickli Hans, Ammann Peter
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PubMed
Doi
Citation
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Journal
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Issn Print
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Brief description/objective
We report the echocardiographic findings in a 27-year-old woman with viral meningoencephalitis and a positive test for cardiac troponin. Initially, the basal parts of the left ventricle were severely hypokinetic, whereas contraction in the mid-ventricle and apex was normal. A second echocardiogram obtained 19 days after the development of pulmonary edema showed a generalized, severe myocardial thickening, the left ventricular ejection fraction being normal. Three months after the initial examination the "hypertrophy" had disappeared. The serial echocardiograms along with a positive cardiac troponin led to the diagnosis of myocarditis, which can very rarely present with the echocardiographic picture of severe left ventricular thickening.