Delayed recovery of diastolic function in patients with suspected acute myocarditis as assessed with Doppler echocardiography

Pulsed-wave Doppler echocardiography was performed repeatedly in two women (24 and 23 years old) who had clinically suspected acute myocarditis. Systolic function recovered earlier than diastolic function in both cases. Although left ventricular diastolic dysfunction has been demonstrated in lymphocytic myocarditis, this difference in the rates of systolic and diastolic function recovery after acute myocarditis has not been previously described. The slower recovery of the diastolic function might be related to the slower resolution of the infiltrated myocardium. We also discuss the contribution of echocardiography to the difference in the rates of cardiac function recovery after acute myocarditis.