Objective: To investigate the clinical features and prognostic factors in children with fulminant myocarditis.
Methods: The clinical data of 24 children with fulminant myocarditis were retrospectively analyzed. According to the prognosis, these children were classified into two groups: survival (n=12) and death (n=12). The risk factors influencing prognosis in children with fulminant myocarditis were identified by logistic regression analysis.
Results: Among the 24 cases of fulminant myocarditis, gastrointestinal symptoms were found as initial symptoms in 14 cases, neurological symptoms in 12 cases, respiratory symptoms in 1 case, and cardiac symptoms in 2 cases. On admission, serum levels of creatine kinase MB, troponin I, and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) were all increased. Besides, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) decreased in 22 cases (92%), cardiothoracic ratio increased in 10 cases, third-degree atrioventricular block was observed in 8 cases, ST-segment changes were found in 11 cases and ventricular tachycardia was identified in 2 cases. LVEF in the death group was lower than in the survival group (P<0.05), while the peak level of serum BNP during hospitalization in the death group was higher than in the survival group (P<0.05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that LVEF was the risk factor influencing prognosis (OR=7.418; P<0.05).
Conclusions: Fulminant myocarditis has no specific clinical features in children. A decreased LVEF is a risk factor for poor prognosis in children with fulminant myocarditis.