[Myocardiopathy and the hepatitis virus. Discussion of a case]

The AA. report of a case of myocardial involvement with acute beginning in a young sportsman aged 22. It was at first diagnosed as an ischemic cardiomyopathy of unknown origin and later recognized as being accompanied by acute hepatitis with the presence of the surface antigen of B hepatitis virus in the blood. The AA. pointed out that the myocardial involvement induced by HBV virus is likely to be more frequent than referred in literature. It should be noticed that, in relation to the present case, the cardiomyopathy is not necessary transitory. It is suggested to search for the presence of virus antigen in the blood and of anicteric hepatitis which doesn't appear clinically in cases of apparently primary myocardiopathy, which arise acutely in young subjects with no cardiovascular risk factors. All possible ways that myocardium HBV involvement is produced are examined on the basis of a revision of recent studies.