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Electrocardiographic and echocardiographic manifestations of cardiac involvement in leptospirosis

Tharanga Fernando1, Chaturaka Rodrigo, Lasitha Samarakoon

  • 1Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, 25 Kynsey Road, Colombo 08, Sri Lanka.

Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
|June 5, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Electrocardiographic and echocardiographic findings are important in diagnosing cardiac leptospirosis. Echocardiography may help identify myocarditis in symptomatic patients with this infection.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Cardiology
  • Clinical Medicine

Background:

  • Cardiac involvement is a known complication of leptospirosis.
  • Limited data exists on the diagnostic significance of electrocardiographic (ECG) and echocardiographic findings in leptospirosis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the utility of ECG and echocardiographic findings in patients with confirmed leptospirosis.
  • To determine the prevalence and significance of cardiac abnormalities in leptospirosis.

Main Methods:

  • Serologically confirmed leptospirosis patients underwent ECG and echocardiographic assessments.
  • Cardiac symptoms, ECG abnormalities, and echocardiographic findings were systematically evaluated.

Main Results:

  • 45% of patients reported cardiac symptoms, and 59% showed ECG abnormalities.
  • 90% of symptomatic patients had ECG abnormalities; 41% exhibited echocardiographic changes.
  • Myocarditis was diagnosed in two patients, with preserved left ventricular function.

Conclusions:

  • Echocardiographic assessment can aid in identifying myocarditis in leptospirosis.
  • Findings are particularly valuable in symptomatic patients, highlighting the role of cardiac evaluation in leptospirosis management.
Abstract

Keywords:
Leptospirosis

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