[Obstructive-restrictive cardiomyopathy. On the clinical aspects and pathology of Löffler endocarditis].

Löffler's endocarditis parietalis fibroplastica represents a special entity among the cardiomyopathies which is seldom to be seen. The disease can be diagnosed by clinical findings including a myocardial biopsy. Prognosis is bad because no adequate therapy exists. The mean survival rate is 18 months and congestive heart failure is cause of death. Etiology of endomyocardial fibrosis is unknown. Included is a case report of Löffler's endocarditis in which the patient had an unusually long survival time of more than three years. Characteristic for the disease were an initial right heart failure followed by left heart insufficiency and multiple septic embolies into peripheral organs (spleen, liver, brain). The patient died from a cerebral emboly in the age of 50 years. Autopsy findings showed a severe endomyocardial fibrosis, typical for Löffler's endocarditis.