Clinical Features, Course and Prognosis of Kounis Syndrome
Volkan Dogan1, Oguzhan Celik1, Erkan Demirci2
1Department of Cardiology, Mugla Sitki Kocman University Faculty of Medicine, Mugla, Turkey.
International Journal of General Medicine
|November 4, 2025
Summary
Kounis Syndrome (KS), an allergic myocardial infarction, is triggered by drugs or stings. Patients with KS show better outcomes than those with atherosclerotic acute coronary syndromes.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Allergy and Immunology
- Emergency Medicine
Background:
- Kounis Syndrome (KS) is a rare cause of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) linked to allergic reactions.
- The clinical presentation, management, and outcomes of KS require further elucidation.
- Understanding KS is crucial for differentiating it from atherosclerotic ACS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the demographic characteristics of KS patients.
- To analyze clinical features, laboratory findings, and prognosis of KS.
- To determine the in-hospital and long-term outcomes for patients diagnosed with KS.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 28 consecutive KS patients diagnosed between January 2018 and December 2024.
- Examination of precipitating factors, laboratory results, ECG, and echocardiographic findings.
- Acquisition of follow-up data through hospital records and telephone interviews.
Main Results:
- The most common triggers for KS were drugs (71.4%) and insect stings (14.3%).
- Type 1 KS was the predominant form (89.3%), with allergic and cardiac symptoms being most frequent.
- Left ventricular wall motion abnormalities (78.6%) showed complete recovery in most patients (92.9%) within weeks; no mortality was observed.
Conclusions:
- This study represents the largest series on Kounis Syndrome to date.
- Drugs and insect stings are identified as primary triggers for KS.
- KS patients demonstrate superior in-hospital and long-term prognoses compared to those with atherosclerotic ACS.
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