Open AccessThe multiple faces of autoimmune/immune‐mediated myocarditis in children: a biopsy‐proven case series treated with immunosuppressive therapy
Author(s) -
Marcolongo Renzo,
Rizzo Stefania,
Cerutti Alessia,
Reffo Elena,
Castaldi Biagio,
Baritussio Anna,
Basso Cristina,
Di Salvo Giovanni,
Caforio Alida L.P.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
esc heart failure
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.787
H-Index - 25
ISSN - 2055-5822
DOI - 10.1002/ehf2.13163
Subject(s) - medicine , myocarditis , heart failure , pathological , biopsy , immune system , immunosuppression , immunology
The role of immunosuppressive therapy (IT) in paediatric autoimmune/immune‐mediated myocarditis remains poorly defined. To explore its role, we present a series of three consecutive paediatric patients with biopsy‐proven, virus negative, autoimmune/immune‐mediated myocarditis, with distinct clinical and pathological features, who have been successfully treated with IT, a 14‐year‐old boy with Loeffler's fibroblastic parietal endomyocarditis, a 6‐year‐old child with celiac disease with chronic active lymphocytic myocarditis, and a 13‐year‐old boy with long‐standing heart failure and active lymphocytic myocarditis. Patients started IT and entered follow‐up between July 2017 and September 2019; the first patient completed IT. IT was associated with a substantial and sustained recovery of cardiac function in our patients, regardless of their heterogeneous clinical and pathological features. Combination IT was well tolerated and enabled tapering and weaning off steroids.