Author(s)

Alessia Veia, Chiara Cavallino, Sara Bacchini, Fabio Pastore, Alessandro Lupi, Andrea Rognoni, Francesco Rametta, Angelo Sante Bongo

Coronary Care Unit, A.O.U. Maggiore della Carità, Novara, Italy.
Division of Cardiology, A.S.L., Vercelli, Italy.

Giant cell myocarditis (GCM) is a rare, rapidly progressive and highly lethal disease in young and middle-aged adults. It is attributed to an inflammation of the heart muscle, and mediated by T lymphocytes and anti-myosin autoantibodies. Making diagnosis of GCM with multiple noninvasive imaging modalities is possible in a small percentage of patients, so myocardial tissue diagnosis is often required. An early diagnosis is very important, because immunosuppressive treatment may significantly improve clinical course and survival of these patients. GCM often escapes diagnosis until autopsy or transplantation and has defied proper treatment trials for its rarity and deadly behavior. This review will focus on the diagnostic approach to patients with suspected GCM and currently evidence-based treatment strategy for this disease.

Giant Cell, Myocarditis Endomyocardial Biopsy, Heart Failure, Immunosuppression

Veia, A. , Cavallino, C. , Bacchini, S. , Pastore, F. , Lupi, A. , Rognoni, A. , Rametta, F. and Bongo, A. (2014) Idiopathic Giant Cell Myocarditis: State of the Art. World Journal of Cardiovascular Diseases, 4, 316-324. doi: 10.4236/wjcd.2014.46041.