Eosinophilic myocarditis without hypereosinophilia accompanied by giant cell infiltration

Abstract

A 53-year-old woman with a history of allergic disease was admitted to our hospital because of syncope induced by sustained ventricular tachycardia. The clinical course and the laboratory data did not correspond to those of acute myocarditis. Although eosinophils in the peripheral blood count were not increased, the diagnosis of eosinophilic myocarditis was made following a right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy that showed a remarkable infiltration of eosinophils. While giant cells were another histopathological feature of this case, they were considered to be an expression of the disease severity. This is a rare case of eosinophilic myocarditis, without peripheral eosinophilia.<Learning objective: Eosinophils in the peripheral blood usually increase in eosinophilic myocarditis. We describe a case of eosinophilic myocarditis without hypereosinophilia. Even in the absence of hypereosinophilia, endomyocardial biopsy should be performed during the investigation of unexplained myocardial disease.>