Convalescent Rehabilitation for an Elderly Patient with Giant Cell Myocarditis: Case Report

Giant cell myocarditis (GCM) is a rare inflammatory heart disease that, left untreated, rapidly progresses and is fatal without transplantation. Most patients with GCM die of congestive heart failure, but some survive for long periods, often after receiving immunosuppressive therapy. Although rehabilitation is crucial for improving activities of daily living (ADL) after discharge, no reports are available on the rehabilitation of patients with GCM. Here, we report the case of an elderly patient with GCM who was hospitalized for rehabilitation in the recovery phase.

The patient was a 78-year-old woman who was hospitalized because of the exacerbation of chronic heart failure. She was diagnosed with GCM based on the histological findings. The patient was administered immunosuppressive therapy, and intra-aortic balloon pumping, percutaneous cardiopulmonary support, and artificial respiration were performed. Cardiac function gradually improved, and the patient was transferred to our hospital for convalescent rehabilitation. Rehabilitation, including calisthenics, upper and lower limb resistance training, walking, and endurance exercise on a bicycle ergometer, improved the patient's physical function, ADL, and cardiac function.

Rehabilitation was safely and effectively conducted in a patient with GCM. This single report might be considered inadequate for ascertaining the efficacy of rehabilitation for patients with GCM, but it could be used as a reference when considering rehabilitation for other GCM patients.