What are the early warning signs of myocarditis during the pathway of care?

Expert Rev Cardiovasc Ther. 2024 Oct;22(10):553-563. doi: 10.1080/14779072.2024.2416676. Epub 2024 Oct 24.

Abstract

Introduction: Myocarditis is an inflammatory disease of the myocardial layer of the heart that can be prone to dilation of chambers with presentation as heart failure secondary to dilated cardiomyopathy. Myocarditis can lead to remodeling and fibrosis that can affect the heart's relaxation-lusitropy and chronotropic function. The current techniques for identifying myocarditis, such as endomyocardial biopsy and imaging, are costly, and intrusive. The current literature aims to identify reliable, accurate, and prognostically educative biomarkers of myocarditis.

Areas covered: This review covers the definition, clinical features, diagnostic markers, cardiac imaging, prognosis, and complications of myocarditis. PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane data bank were searched from inception to 1 January 2024 for relevant articles.

Expert opinion: By adopting these diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, clinicians can have a better comprehension of the progression of the disease and provide early diagnosis and treatment for myocarditis.

Keywords: Myocarditis; biomarkers; cardiomyopathy; heart failure; myocarditis prognosis.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers* / metabolism
  • Biopsy / methods
  • Cardiac Imaging Techniques / methods
  • Disease Progression*
  • Early Diagnosis*
  • Heart Failure / diagnosis
  • Heart Failure / physiopathology
  • Heart Failure / therapy
  • Humans
  • Myocarditis* / diagnosis
  • Myocarditis* / physiopathology
  • Myocarditis* / therapy
  • Prognosis

Substances

  • Biomarkers