The significance of early screening with echocardiography in eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis

Löffler endocarditis is a serious complication of idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome characterized by a peculiar type of fibrosing endocarditis. It results in heart failure due to restrictive cardiomyopathy and systemic embolism due to intracardiac thrombus. Here we present a case of a 57-year-old man with Löffler endocarditis concomitant with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis. A thrombus in the left ventricular apex was noted on transthoracic echocardiography performed as a screening of left ventricular dilatation, which seemed to be a typical finding of Löffler endocarditis. But there were no findings that indicated restrictive cardiomyopathy. He was diagnosed with Löffler endocarditis at the thrombotic stage and was given methylprednisolone. The thrombus got markedly smaller within 1 month after initiation of the medical treatment. He has been doing well for more than 2 years since then without eosinophilia or left ventricular thrombosis. In the present case, we could successfully detect the thrombus in the left ventricular apex with echocardiography before the occurrence of embolism and provide early medical treatment. Early detection and initiation of medical treatment are extremely important to treat this unusual but often life-threatening condition because methylprednisolone is effective in the necrotic stage and thrombotic stage.