Pancarditis in African Trypanosomiasis

Description

A patient with African Trypanosomiasis may develop a pancarditis. The course and severity of the cardiac involvement depends on the subspecies. The cardiac involvement is often overshadowed by the neurological deterioration but can cause sudden death.

Parameter	T. brucei gambiense	T. brucei rhodesiense
location	West and Central African	East and Southern African
onset of pancarditis after infected	within months	within weeks
heart failure	mild to moderate	moderate to severe

Clinical findings include:

(1) cardiomegaly

(2) pericardial effusion

(3) heart failure

ECG changes are more prevalent in late stage disease:

(1) ST changes

(2) low QRS voltages

(3) prolongation of QTc

(4) depression PR segment

Laboratory findings:

(1) elevated BNP and NT-pro-BNP

(2) histologic evidence of pancarditis (endomyocardial biopsy not recommended)

Differential diagnosis:

(1) treatment-related cardiotoxicity

(2) other causes of heart failure (anemia, etc)

To read more or access our algorithms and calculators, please log in or register.

Pancarditis in African Trypanosomiasis

Description

Specialty