Myocarditis : From Bench to Bedside

Myocarditis was last critically surveyed nearly a decade ago. During that time, our knowledge of viral-induced myocardial injury, autoimmune pathways in the heart, and the clinical treatment of myocarditis has advanced significantly. In Myocarditis: From Bench to Bedside, Leslie T. Cooper, Jr., md, has assembled a panel of leading clinical and scientific experts to comprehensively review this new knowledge, highlighting advances in both our basic scientific understanding and our current clinical knowledge of inflammatory heart disease. Topics covered span many disciplines, from the genetics of cardiotropic viral virulence to clinical epidemiology and treatment. On the clinical side the diagnosis, prognosis, and management of both nonspecific and specific myocarditis are extensively discussed in separate chapters devoted to such major idiopathic clinical entities as cardiac sarcoidosis, giant cell myocarditis, eosinophilic myocarditis, Chagas disease, rheumatic fever, and human immunodeficiency virus-related cardiomyopathy. Research articles complete the picture with discussions of the role of apoptosis in viral myocarditis, rat and mouse models of autoimmune giant cell and lymphocytic myocarditis, and the latest available data on enteroviral proteases and cardiomyopathy. Cutting-edge molecular methods of viral genome detection and both invasive and noninvasive diagnostic methods for viral and autoimmune myocarditis are also presented. Multidisciplinary, state-of-the-art, and richly illustrated, Myocarditis: From Bench to Bedside is the first book to cover the entire spectrum of myocarditis from basic research to bedside medicine, providing today's researchers and clinicians a platform for understanding these diseases and today's significantly improved treatments for congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, and premature cardiovascular death. Doody Review Services Reviewer: John F. Moran, MD (Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine) Description: This is a multiauthored book by an international group of contributors on myocarditis. About half of its 24 chapters are based on animal studies and bench research, and the other half covers clinical observations of myocarditis and congestive heart failure. Purpose: The purpose is to bring together as much information as possible on the research on viral myocarditis, autoimmune myocardial injury, and other advances in heart failure due to myocarditis for the researcher, as well as the practicing physician. Audience: All cardiologists, especially those who are heart failure specialists, will find some good information here. Basic and clinical investigators additionally would find information of use. Features: The book starts off with a historical review. Viral myocarditis was first labeled as Coxsackie in 1948 in Coxsackie, New York. Now we know that gamma-delta lymphocytes, nutritional deficiencies, and exercise all worsen myocarditis. There are six Coxsackie group B viruses: CVB 1-6. Other viruses in addition to the Coxsackie virus have been involved: adenoviruses and hepatitis C viruses, as well as many others. A special adenovirus cell receptor allows the virus entry into the cell. Two different viruses causing the infection worsen the myocarditis. Auto-antibodies have been detected in left ventricular dysfunction. Antibodies to sarcoplasma reticulum, mitochondria, myosin, and actin have all been seen in animal studies. Additionally in animal studies, interferon and vesnarinone have improved survival. There is significant importance in signaling pathways, such as nitric oxide. The sine qua non of the pathogenesis of viral myocarditis is a functional cell surface protein that can facilitate viral attachment. Cardiomyopathy and heart failure have been associated with apoptosis and necrosis, as well as the BCP-2 family of proteins, mitochondrial factors, and Caspases. To diagnose myocarditis, clinical findings are needed, as well as myocardial tissue biopsies, troponin evaluations, creatinine kinases, magnetic resonance images, and polyemerase chain reaction studies. All are used to help make the diagnosis of myocarditis. The book goes into detail on apoptosis cell damage and the fact that this can be aggravated by sympathetic nerve stimulation and exercise, as well as dobutamine and digoxin. Apparently, left ventricular assist devices have not been helpful clinically. There are chapters on special causes of congestive heart failure, such as sarcoidosis, acute rheumatic fever, HIV, Chagas disease, and post-partum cardiomyopathy. Assessment: Perusal of this book shows that myocarditis is a very complex disease. There are various pathogenic mechanisms which are important in different patients. Much work remains to be done. This is an excellent book to review what we know at this time. This is a well-referenced book with more than 100 references and many chapters. There are 43 color plates and each chapter includes a short outline and an introductory and a concluding paragraph. Front Matter....Pages i-xii Introduction and Historical Perspective on Experimental Myocarditis....Pages 1-22 The Primary Viruses of Myocarditis....Pages 23-53 Cellular Autoimmunity in Myocarditis....Pages 55-76 Humoral Immune Response in Viral Myocarditis....Pages 77-108 Cytokines in Experimental Myocarditis....Pages 109-133 Nitric Oxide Signaling in Myocarditis....Pages 135-159 Life and Death Signaling Pathways in CVB3-Induced Myocarditis....Pages 161-195 Animal Models of Autoimmune Myocarditis....Pages 197-214 Progression of Myocarditis to Dilated Cardiomyopathy: Role of the Adrenergic System and Myocardial Catecholamines....Pages 215-230 Pathogenesis of Enteroviral Cardiomyopathy: Interaction of Viral Proteins With Infected Myocytes....Pages 231-256 Introduction to Clinical Myocarditis....Pages 257-281 Use of Cardiac Biomarkers for Detection of Myocarditis....Pages 283-294 Molecular Biologic Detection of Virus Infection in Myocarditis and Dilated Cardiomyopathy....Pages 295-324 Pathology of Human Myocarditis....Pages 325-370 Endomyocardial Biopsy in Myocarditis....Pages 371-389 Treatment of Lymphocytic Myocarditis....Pages 391-403 Idiopathic Giant Cell Myocarditis....Pages 405-420 Cardiac Sarcoidosis....Pages 421-436 The Eosinophil in Cardiac Disease....Pages 437-453 Chagas Heart Disease....Pages 455-502 Cardiac Involvement in Acute Rheumatic Fever....Pages 503-544 Myocarditis Associated With Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome....Pages 545-558 Childhood Myocarditis and Dilated Cardiomyopathy....Pages 559-587 Peripartum Cardiomyopathy....Pages 589-608 Back Matter....Pages 609-621 Leslie T. Cooper, Jr., MD, and a panel of leading clinical and scientific experts comprehensively review both advances in basic scientific understanding and current clinical knowledge of inflammatory heart disease. On the clinical side they discuss the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of nonspecific and specific myocarditis in separate chapters devoted to such major idiopathic clinical entities as cardiac sarcoidosis, giant cell myocarditis, eosinophilic myocarditis, Chagas disease, rheumatic fever, and human immunodeficiency virus-related cardiomyopathy. Research articles complete the picture with discussions of the role of apoptosis in viral myocarditis, rat and mouse models of autoimmune giant cell and lymphocytic myocarditis, and the latest available data on enteroviral proteases and cardiomyopathy.