Successful treatment of severe dysrhythmias in infants with respiratory syncytial virus infections: two cases and a literature review

Abstract

Objectives: To describe severe myocardial manifestations in two infants with respiratory syncytial virus infection and to review published literature reporting cardiac involvement in patients with respiratory syncytial virus disease.

Design: Case report and literature review.

Setting: Tertiary care pediatric intensive care unit (ICU).

Patients: Two infants admitted to the pediatric ICU for dysrhythmias and severe myocardial dysfunction and infected with respiratory syncytial virus.

Interventions: Conventional cardiovascular, antidysrhythmic, and respiratory support, as well as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and high-frequency oscillatory ventilation.

Measurements and main results: Both patients had respiratory syncytial virus infections and clinical evidence of severe myocarditis, with dysrhythmias, cardiomegaly, and cardiogenic shock. Both infants survived their hospitalizations. To our knowledge, these two patients are the first reported cases of myocarditis in infants with respiratory syncytial virus infection.

Conclusions: Severe myocardial dysfunction and dysrhythmias may accompany respiratory syncytial virus infection in some infants and may be reversible with aggressive supportive therapy.