Fulminant diptheretic myocarditis

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Diphtheria, a bacterial infection, can lead to severe complications beyond the respiratory tract.
• Myocarditis, inflammation of the heart muscle, is a serious but less common manifestation of diphtheria.

Observation:

• This study describes five pediatric cases of fulminant diphtheritic myocarditis.
• Three cases presented with extensive faucial diphtheria, while two had minor electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities.
• Severe diphtheria cases exhibited significant cardiac arrhythmias, including atrioventricular dissociation, left bundle branch block (LBBB) with complete heart block, and ventricular tachycardia.

Findings:

• Three out of five children with fulminant diphtheritic myocarditis died.
• All fatal cases exhibited major ECG abnormalities, suggesting their prognostic significance.
• Serum Glutamic Oxaloacetic Transaminase (SGOT) levels were also correlated with patient outcomes.

Implications:

• Fulminant diphtheritic myocarditis carries a high mortality rate, especially in children with significant ECG changes.
• ECG monitoring and SGOT levels are crucial for assessing prognosis in pediatric diphtheria patients.
• Prompt recognition and management of diphtheritic myocarditis are essential for improving survival rates.