[Acute coronary syndrome as a first manifestation of Churg-Strauss syndrome].

HISTORY AND ADMISSION FINDINGS: A 53-year-old woman was admitted to our chest pain unit because of an acute coronary syndrome (non ST-elevation myocardial infarction). She complained of asthma, chronic sinusitis and involuntary weight loss, occasional fever and night sweats over the past six months.

INVESTIGATIONS: Coronary angiography did not show any signs of macroscopic coronary artery disease, while echocardiography demonstrated a hemodynamically not significant pericardial effusion. Magnetic resonance imaging of the heart revealed a subendocardial scar, extension and localization pointing to a vascular genesis. Thoracic computed tomography revealed pulmonary opacities and blood tests showed an eosinophilia, leading to the clinical diagnosis of Churg-Strauss syndome.

TREATMENT AND COURSE: The patient responded quickly to oral steroids, and blood parameters returned to normal.

CONCLUSION

Acute coronary syndrome in youngish patients without classical cardiovascular risk factors is suggestive for myocarditis but also for vasculitis. Churg-Strauss syndrome usually responds quickly to immunosuppressive therapy, associated with a rather good prognosis without high mortality.