[Early cardiotoxicity of Hydroxychloroquine]

Abstract

Introduction: Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is most frequently used in the treatment of systemic inflammatory diseases. Cardiac complications of anti-malarial drugs are uncommon, and most of the time are the result of a long-term exposition. In this case, cardiotoxicity is the consequence of the lysosomal dysfunction and the result of intracytoplasmic granular material inclusions.

Case report: We report a 77-year-old woman who presented a very early and reversible cardiotoxicity, probably related to the quinidine like effect of the HCQ, 10 days after initiation of therapy for Whipple endocarditis.

Conclusion: We discuss the different mechanisms of cardiotoxicity of anti-malarial drugs and their clinical manifestations.

Keywords: Cardiomyopathie; Cardiomyopathy; Cardiotoxicity; Cardiotoxicité; Endocardite; Endocarditis; Hydoxychloroquine; Hydroxychloroquine; Maladie de Whipple; Whipple's disease.