[Systematic cardiologic study in 37 schistosomiasis patients]

1) A systematic search was made for cardiac abnormalities (clinical, radiological and EKG) and for haemodynamic disorders (catheterisation of the right side of the heart and pulmonary artery). It was generally found that: -- 14 patients (37.8%) had no symptoms; -- 8 patients (21.6%) had pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAHT) with the corresponding cardiac signs; -- 15 patients (40.5%) had cardiac signs with no evidence of PAHT. 2) The 8 patients with PAHT (21.6%) had precapillary type of PAHT with an arteriocapillary gradient. The symptoms were those of PAHT and of the right ventricular failure; but this desorder could be latent. PAHT can be in relation with inflammatory lesions. In these 8 patients, S. Mansoni was to blame in 6 cases and 5 S. Hematobium in 2. 3) In 9 patients (24.3%), cardiac signs were connected indirectly with bilharziasis by anemia, iatrogenic injury or hypertensive myocardial disease of renal origin. 4) In 3 patients (8.1%), cardiac signs were found because of coexistant disease. 5) In 3 patients (8.1%), cardiac signs could have been due to bilharzia myocarditis. The authors reviewed the experimental and clinical discussions for such a possibility.