Long-Term Evolution and Prognostic Stratification of Biopsy-Proven Active Myocarditis

Anzini M
Merlo M
Sabbadini G
Barbati G
Finocchiaro G
Pinamonti B
Salvi A
Perkan A
Di Lenarda A
Bussani R
Bartunek J
Sinagra G

Open link

Publication date

January 2013

DOI

10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.113.003092

Publisher

Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)

ISSN

0009-7322

Citation count (estimate)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Active myocarditis is characterized by large heterogeneity of clinical presentation and evolution. This study describes the characteristics and the long-term evolution of a large sample of patients with biopsy-proven active myocarditis, looking for accessible and valid early predictors of long-term prognosis. METHODS AND RESULTS:From 1981 to 2009, 82 patients with biopsy-proven active myocarditis were consecutively enrolled and followed-up for 147\ub1107 months. All patients underwent clinical and echocardiographic evaluation at baseline and at 6 months. At this time, improvement/normality of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), defined as a LVEF increase > 20 percentage points or presence of LVEF 6550%, was assessed. At b...