When the heart gets the flu: Fulminant influenza B myocarditis: A case-series report and review of the literature

Abstract

Purpose: To describe patients with refractory cardiogenic shock related to influenza B virus myocarditis rescued by venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (VA-ECMO).

Material and methods: Consecutive patients hospitalized in our unit for influenza-associated myocarditis were prospectively included. We also conducted a systematic MEDLINE database literature review through the PubMed search engine, between 1946 and 2017.

Results: We report the cases of 4 young patients with fulminant myocarditis requiring VA-ECMO for 6 [5-8] days. Influenza B virus was detected in all patients, either in nasopharyngeal sampling or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. The 4 patients received oseltamivir. Heart function recovery allowed ECMO device removal without cardiac sequelae in all 4 patients. Systematic review retrieved 184 cases of influenza-associated myocarditis, most cases associated with H1N1 type-A infection during the 2009 pandemic. Forty eight cases of influenza myocarditis-associated cardiogenic shock requiring mechanical circulatory support including 3 cases due to influenza B virus were described. Mean duration of mechanical circulatory support was 8.5 ± 6 days and mortality rate was 33%.

Conclusions: Influenza myocarditis is a rare but reversible cause of cardiogenic shock amenable to VA-ECMO rescue. Early antiviral therapy and ECMO support should be considered for patients with fulminant myocarditis during an influenza epidemic.

Keywords: Cardiogenic shock; Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; Influenza; Mechanical circulatory support; Myocarditis.