Myocarditis endomyocardial biopsy

Myocarditis Microchapters

Home

Patient Information

Overview

Historical Perspective

Classification

Pathophysiology

Adrenergic Myocarditis
Giant Cell Myocarditis

Causes

Differentiating Myocarditis from other Diseases

Epidemiology and Demographics

Risk Factors

Screening

Natural History, Complications and Prognosis

Diagnosis

Diagnostic Study of Choice

History and Symptoms

Physical Examination

Laboratory Findings

Electrocardiogram

X-ray

Echocardiography and Ultrasound

CT scan

MRI

Other Imaging Findings

Other Diagnostic Studies

Treatment

Medical Therapy

Surgery

Primary Prevention

Secondary Prevention

Cost-Effectiveness of Therapy

Future or Investigational Therapies

Case Studies

Case #1

Myocarditis endomyocardial biopsy On the Web

Most recent articles

Most cited articles

Review articles

CME Programs

Powerpoint slides

Google Images

American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Myocarditis endomyocardial biopsy

All Images
X-rays
Echo & Ultrasound
CT Images
MRI

Ongoing Trials at Clinical Trials.gov

US National Guidelines Clearinghouse

NICE Guidance

FDA on Myocarditis endomyocardial biopsy

CDC on Myocarditis endomyocardial biopsy

Myocarditis endomyocardial biopsy in the news

Blogs on Myocarditis endomyocardial biopsy

Directions to Hospitals Treating Type page name here

Risk calculators and risk factors for Myocarditis endomyocardial biopsy

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-In-Chief: Varun Kumar M.B.B.S., Maliha Shakil, M.D. [2]

## Overview

[edit | edit source]

Endomyocardial biopsy remains the gold standard test to evaluate for the presence of and to subclassify the type of myocarditis. A small tissue sample of the endocardium and myocardium is obtained via right sided cardiac catheterization. The sample is then evaluated by a pathologist using immunochemistry and special staining techniques as necessary. Histopathological features include abundant edema in the myocardial interstitium and an inflammatory infiltrate which is rich in lymphocytes and macrophages. Focal destruction of myocytes as a result of the inflammatory process results in left ventricular dysfunction.[1] Endomyocardial biopsy is recommended when the results would identify an underlying disease that is amenable to therapy. Routine performance of endomyocardial biopsy is not recommended in all patients with myocarditis.

## Endomyocardial Biopsy

[edit | edit source]

* The Heart Failure Society of America recommends that performance of endomyocardial biopsy should be considered when cardiac function deteriorates acutely with an unknown etiology that is unresponsive to medical therapy (Strength of Evidence = B).[2]

* Non-specific findings such as hypertrophy, cell loss, and fibrosis may be noted on biopsy. However, biopsy findings that significantly impact patient management have not been conclusively established.[3] Although inflammatory changes in the myocardium may be detected in viral myocarditis, the majority of patients with biopsy proven myocarditis improve with supportive therapy alone without the need for antiviral or anti-inflammatory treatment.[4] Endomyocardial biopsy has a low sensitivity and specificity which could be explained by the focal and transient nature of the inflammatory infiltrates.[5][6]

## Standardizing the Interpretation of Endomyocardial Biopsies: The Dallas Criteria

[edit | edit source]

Histologically, both active inflammatory infiltrate within the myocardium and associated myocyte necrosis (the Dallas pathologic criteria) are present in myocarditis. Despite its limitations, the Dallas criteria have established uniform histologic criteria diagnosing myocarditis and have substantially reduced the variability in diagnosing the disease. Some of the criteria are as follows:[7]

“  |

#### Active myocarditis:

* The presence of an inflammatory infiltrate of the myocardium with necrosis and/or degeneration of adjacent myocytes not typical of the ischaemic damage associated with coronary artery disease.

#### Borderline myocarditis:

* The presence of an inflammatory infiltrate of the myocardium without necrosis or degeneration of adjacent myocytes.

| ”

|
|

## Scenarios in Which Endomyocardial Biopsy May Be Useful[8][9]

[edit | edit source]

* Subacute or acute symptoms of heart failure refractory to standard management
* Rapid worsening of ejection fraction despite standard pharmacological therapy
* Development of cardiac arrhythmias such as ventricular tachycardia and/or heart block
* Heart failure with concomitant rash, fever, or peripheral eosinophilia
* Cardiac dysfunction thought to be secondary to the following conditions as the results of endomyocardial biopsy may alter the therapy:
* Collagen vascular diseases:
* Systemic lupus erythematosus
* Scleroderma
* Polyarteritis nodosum
* Infiltrative diseases:
* Amyloidosis: These patients are not eligible for cardiac transplantation.
* Sarcoidosis
* Hemachromatosis
* Giant cell myocarditis: Myocardial biopsy may optimize the management of these patients by identifying patients who may benefit from early heart transplantation.[10]

## Complications of Endomyocardial Biopsy

[edit | edit source]

* Complications may be as high as 6% as observed in a series where 546 patients with cardiomyopathy underwent right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy.[11] Several other studies reported the incidence of complications to be 0.5 to 1.5%.[12][13]

* Complications of endomyocardial biopsy include:[12][14]

* Myocardial perforation leading to pericardial tamponade
* Heart block
* Pulmonary embolization
* Pneumothorax
* Nerve injury
* Hematoma
* Tricuspid valve damage
* Arteriovenous fistula
* Deep venous thrombosis
* Bleeding at the puncture site (venous/arterial due to accidental arterial puncture)
* Arrhythmias (supraventricular tachycardia/ventricular tachycardia/complete heart block)
* Tricuspid valve damage
* Coronary artery to right ventricle fistula

## 2009 ACC/AHA Focused Update and 2005 Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Chronic Heart Failure in the Adult (DO NOT EDIT) [15]

[edit | edit source]

### Endomyocardial Biopsy in Patients Presenting With Heart Failure (DO NOT EDIT) [15]

[edit | edit source]

Class III (No Benefit)

" 1. Endomyocardial biopsy should not be performed in the routine evaluation of patients with heart failure.[14] (Level of Evidence: C) "
Class IIa

"1. Endomyocardial biopsy can be useful in patients presenting with heart failure when a speciﬁc diagnosis is suspected that would inﬂuence therapy.[14] (Level of Evidence: C) "

## 2007 AHA/ACCF/ESC Scientific Statement: The Role of Endomyocardial Biopsy (EMB) in Fourteen Clinical Scenarios[14]

[edit | edit source]

Class I

"1. EMB should be performed in the setting of unexplained, new-onset heart failure of less than 2 weeks’ duration associated with a normal-sized or dilated left ventricle and hemodynamic compromise. (Level of Evidence: B) "
"2. EMB should be performed in the setting of unexplained, new-onset heart failure of 2 weeks’ to 3 months’ duration associated with a dilated left ventricle and new ventricular arrhythmias, second- or third-degree heart block, or failure to respond to usual care within 1 to 2 weeks. (Level of Evidence: B) "
Class III (No Benefit)

"1. EMB should not be performed in the setting of unexplained atrial fibrillation. (Level of Evidence: C) "
Class IIa

"1. EMB is reasonable in the clinical setting of unexplained heart failure of more than 3 months’ duration associated with a dilated left ventricle and new ventricular arrhythmias, second- or third-degree heart block, or failure to respond to usual care within 1 to 2 weeks. (Level of Evidence: C) "
"2. EMB is reasonable in the setting of unexplained heart failure associated with a dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) of any duration associated with suspected allergic reaction and/or eosinophilia. (Level of Evidence: C) "
"3. EMB is reasonable in the setting of unexplained heart failure associated with suspected anthracycline cardiomyopathy. (Level of Evidence: C) "
"4. EMB is reasonable in the setting of heart failure associated with unexplained restrictive cardiomyopathy. (Level of Evidence: C) "
"5. EMB is reasonable in the setting of suspected cardiac tumors. (Level of Evidence: C) "
"6. EMB is reasonable in the setting of unexplained cardiomyopathy in children. (Level of Evidence: C) "
Class IIb

"1. EMB may be considered in the setting of unexplained, new-onset heart failure of 2 weeks’ to 3 months’ duration associated with a dilated left ventricle, without new ventricular arrhythmias or second- or third-degree heart block, that responds to usual care within 1 to 2 weeks. (Level of Evidence: B) "
"2. EMB may be considered in the setting of unexplained heart failure of more than 3 months’ duration associated with a dilated left ventricle, without new ventricular arrhythmias or second- or third-degree heart block, that responds to usual care within 1 to 2 weeks. (Level of Evidence: C) "
"3. EMB may be considered in the setting of heart failure associated with unexplained hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). (Level of Evidence: C) "
"4. EMB may be considered in the setting of suspected arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD/C). (Level of Evidence: C) "
"5. EMB may be considered in the setting of unexplained unexplained ventricular arrhythmias. (Level of Evidence: C) "

## References

[edit | edit source]

1. ↑ Feldman AM, McNamara D (2000). "Myocarditis". N Engl J Med. 343 (19): 1388–98. doi:10.1056/NEJM200011093431908. PMID 11070105.
2. ↑ Heart Failure Society of America. Lindenfeld J, Albert NM, Boehmer JP, Collins SP, Ezekowitz JA; et al. (2010). "HFSA 2010 Comprehensive Heart Failure Practice Guideline". J Card Fail. 16 (6): e1–194. doi:10.1016/j.cardfail.2010.04.004. PMID 20610207. Unknown parameter `|http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=` ignored (help)CS1 maint: Explicit use of et al. (link) CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list (link)
3. ↑ Chow LC, Dittrich HC, Shabetai R (1988). "Endomyocardial biopsy in patients with unexplained congestive heart failure". Ann Intern Med. 109 (7): 535–9. PMID 3421562.CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list (link)
4. ↑ Mason JW, O'Connell JB, Herskowitz A, Rose NR, McManus BM, Billingham ME; et al. (1995). "A clinical trial of immunosuppressive therapy for myocarditis. The Myocarditis Treatment Trial Investigators". N Engl J Med. 333 (5): 269–75. doi:10.1056/NEJM199508033330501. PMID 7596370.CS1 maint: Explicit use of et al. (link) CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list (link)
5. ↑ Mahrholdt H, Goedecke C, Wagner A, Meinhardt G, Athanasiadis A, Vogelsberg H; et al. (2004). "Cardiovascular magnetic resonance assessment of human myocarditis: a comparison to histology and molecular pathology". Circulation. 109 (10): 1250–8. doi:10.1161/01.CIR.0000118493.13323.81. PMID 14993139. Unknown parameter `|http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=` ignored (help)CS1 maint: Explicit use of et al. (link) CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list (link)
6. ↑ Hauck AJ, Kearney DL, Edwards WD (1989). "Evaluation of postmortem endomyocardial biopsy specimens from 38 patients with lymphocytic myocarditis: implications for role of sampling error". Mayo Clin Proc. 64 (10): 1235–45. PMID 2593714.CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list (link)
7. ↑ Aretz HT, Billingham ME, Edwards WD, Factor SM, Fallon JT, Fenoglio JJ; et al. (1987). "Myocarditis. A histopathologic definition and classification". Am J Cardiovasc Pathol. 1 (1): 3–14. PMID 3455232.CS1 maint: Explicit use of et al. (link) CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list (link)
8. ↑ Wu LA, Lapeyre AC, Cooper LT (2001). "Current role of endomyocardial biopsy in the management of dilated cardiomyopathy and myocarditis". Mayo Clin Proc. 76 (10): 1030–8. PMID 11605687.CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list (link)
9. ↑ Magnani JW, Dec GW (2006). "Myocarditis: current trends in diagnosis and treatment". Circulation. 113 (6): 876–90. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.105.584532. PMID 16476862. Unknown parameter `|http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=` ignored (help)
10. ↑ Cooper LT, Berry GJ, Shabetai R (1997). "Idiopathic giant-cell myocarditis--natural history and treatment. Multicenter Giant Cell Myocarditis Study Group Investigators". N Engl J Med. 336 (26): 1860–6. doi:10.1056/NEJM199706263362603. PMID 9197214.CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list (link)
11. ↑ Deckers JW, Hare JM, Baughman KL (1992). "Complications of transvenous right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy in adult patients with cardiomyopathy: a seven-year survey of 546 consecutive diagnostic procedures in a tertiary referral center". J Am Coll Cardiol. 19 (1): 43–7. PMID 1729344.CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list (link)
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Yilmaz A, Kindermann I, Kindermann M, Mahfoud F, Ukena C, Athanasiadis A; et al. (2010). "Comparative evaluation of left and right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy: differences in complication rate and diagnostic performance". Circulation. 122 (9): 900–9. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.109.924167. PMID 20713901.CS1 maint: Explicit use of et al. (link) CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list (link)
13. ↑ Holzmann M, Nicko A, Kühl U, Noutsias M, Poller W, Hoffmann W; et al. (2008). "Complication rate of right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy via the femoral approach: a retrospective and prospective study analyzing 3048 diagnostic procedures over an 11-year period". Circulation. 118 (17): 1722–8. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.107.743427. PMID 18838566.CS1 maint: Explicit use of et al. (link) CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list (link)
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Cooper LT, Baughman KL, Feldman AM, Frustaci A, Jessup M, Kuhl U; et al. (2007). "The role of endomyocardial biopsy in the management of cardiovascular disease: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology, and the European Society of Cardiology". Circulation. 116 (19): 2216–33. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.107.186093. PMID 17959655.CS1 maint: Explicit use of et al. (link) CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list (link)
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Jessup M, Abraham WT, Casey DE, Feldman AM, Francis GS, Ganiats TG et al. (2009) 2009 focused update: ACCF/AHA Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Heart Failure in Adults: a report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines: developed in collaboration with the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Circulation 119 (14):1977-2016. DOI:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.109.192064 PMID: 19324967

Template:WikiDoc Sources