Clinical features of 11 newborn infants with fulminant myocarditis / 中国新生儿科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the clinical features,diagnosis,treatment and prognosis of neonatal fulminant myocarditis.Method From January 2016 to August 2016,clinical data of neonates with fulminant myocarditis admitted to the neonatal intense care unit (NICU) were retrospectively collected and analyzed.Result A total of 11 neonates were enrolled,including 6 males and 5 females,and 5 preterms and 6 full term infants.The average gestation age was (37.7 ± 1.6) weeks and their weight on hospital admission was (3 382 ± 675) g.Among the infants,9 got ill in summer and 2 in spring and winter.The onset of illness was within 3 ～ 5 d after birth in 8 cases and 2 ～ 3 weeks in the other 3 cases.The main clinical presentations included fever,anorexia,shortness of breath and lethargy.Various degrees of cardiac dysfunction appeared in all 11 cases,including cardiogenic shock in 10 cases,severe arrhythmias with multiple organ dysfunction in 7 cases,and viral meningitis in 7 cases.10 infants had significantly elevated brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and troponin Ⅰ,and those with troponin Ⅰ above 20 μg/L had poor prognosis.A comprehensive treatment of limiting liquid volume,high-dose adrenocortical steroids,and IVIG were carried out.Meanwhile,therapy to prevent shock,improve cardiac function,reverse arrhythmia,and mechanical ventilation were used in children with dyspnea.7 cases were cured and 6 patients were followedup for 6 to 12 months.Among the 6 followed-up patients,within 1 ～3 months after discharge,4 cases had normal echocardiogram,and persistently abnormal echocardiogram were found in the other 2 cases and eventually confirmed as dilated cardiomyopathy.4 patients were dead.Conclusion The clinical manifestations of neonatal fulminant myocarditis are unspecific.It's difficult to recognize the early symptoms,missed and delayed diagnosis are common,resulting in high mortality rate.Timely diagnosis and effective treatment can improve the survival rate.