Does SARS-CoV-2 virus (Covid-19) cause myocarditis?

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There have been several reported cases of fulminant myocarditis amongst patients with a severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and multiple organ failure.

Laboratory characteristics in such patients include prominent elevations of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) levels and of plasma IL-6-levels in addition to new-onset arrhythmias. IL-6 itself has been related to cytokine storm syndroms, which have been recognized as the core in the pathophysiology of fulminant myocarditis.

Therefore, it is important to monitor Covid-19 patients with the listed laboratory abnormalities closely, especially in those with severe multiple organ dysfunction, since fulminant myocarditis has a high mortality rate itself and should be treated early on.

Chen, C., Zhou, Y. & Wang, D.W. SARS-CoV-2: a potential novel etiology of fulminant myocarditis. Herz (2020).

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00059-020-04909-z#citeas

MRI image in Myocarditis – LGE