Reversibility of dilated cardiomyopathy by low-dose oral roxithromycin in a patient with chronic lyme-borreliosis

Abstract

It has been shown earlier that dilated cardiomyopathy can be associated with Borrelia burgdorferi infection.

Here the authors present a case: a fifty-nine-year-old man who presented with dyspnea, oligoarthritis, paresthesia in both hands, and acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans. Upon further cardiologic exploration by cardiac catheterization and two-dimensional echocardiography (volume-length-area method), the patient exhibited an ejection fraction (EF) of 49%. Serology revealed IgG ELISA positive and IIFT 1:64 positive for B. burgdorferi. The patient received 2 × 150 mg roxithromycin orally for six weeks. Upon a second examination after termination of treatment (three months later), the patient presented with negative B. burgdorferi serology and normal EF (70%). While cardiac manifestations thus apparently vanished, other symptoms persisted.

This case may give new insight into mechanisms of action of macrolides against B. burgdorferi (a field where information is inherently scant). One may, however, argue that in a well-perfused organ like the heart, tissue-activity of roxithromycin may suffice in order to unfold its activity against B. burgdorferi.