Vol 71, No 3 (2013)
Case studies
Published online: 2013-03-21
Unclassified cardiomyopathy or Lyme carditis? A three year follow-up
DOI: 10.5603/KP.2013.0043
Kardiol Pol 2013;71(3):283-285.
Abstract
Lyme carditis can be a clinical manifestation of the early disseminated stage of Lyme disease caused by the tick-transmitted
pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi. We present the case of a 41 year-old Caucasian woman referred to our hospital with symptoms
of fatigue, progressive exertional dyspnoea, supraventricular cardiac arrhythmia, and an enlarged heart revealed on chest
radiography. Following an untypical result of transthoracic echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance was performed.
This showed structural cardiac changes and focus of late gadolinium enhancement in the midwall of the apex region. Further
diagnostic processes, including endomyocardial biopsy and serology tests, made it possible to diagnose Lyme carditis. Clinical
observation was followed-up for three years.
pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi. We present the case of a 41 year-old Caucasian woman referred to our hospital with symptoms
of fatigue, progressive exertional dyspnoea, supraventricular cardiac arrhythmia, and an enlarged heart revealed on chest
radiography. Following an untypical result of transthoracic echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance was performed.
This showed structural cardiac changes and focus of late gadolinium enhancement in the midwall of the apex region. Further
diagnostic processes, including endomyocardial biopsy and serology tests, made it possible to diagnose Lyme carditis. Clinical
observation was followed-up for three years.
Keywords: magnetic resonance imagingcardiomyopathymyocarditis
