Abstract
Thirty-five patients with unexplained congestive heart failure were evaluated with endomyocardial biopsy. Utilizing microscopic, ultrastructural and immunofluorescent studies, samples were classified as exhibiting either no inflammation (cardiomyopathy) or active lymphocytic myocarditis, grade I to IV. Twenty-two (63%) of the patients had inflammatory changes. Of these 22 patients, 18 had low grade I or II inflammation, 7 were treated with immunosuppressive agents with improvement in 5 and stabilization in 1. One patient died of progressive congestive heart failure. Three of four patients with high grade III or IV myocarditis died after a fulminant course. The results suggest that inflammatory myocarditis may be more common than previously suspected and add evidence that there may be ongoing inflammation in many cases of congestive cardiomyopathy.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
