Myocarditis with Advanced Atrioventricular Block after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation: A Case Report and Literature Review

Immunomodulatory Therapy for Giant Cell Myocarditis: A Narrative Review

Giant cell myocarditis (GCM) is a rare, often rapidly progressive, and potentially fatal disease because of myocardium inflammation due to the infiltration of giant cells triggered by infectious as well as non-infectious etiologies. Several studies have reported that GCM can occur in patients of all ages but is more commonly found in adults. It is relatively more common among African American and Hispanic patients than in the White population. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical. Electrocardiogram (EKG), complete blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and cardiac biomarkers such as troponin and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), echocardiogram, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), myocardial biopsy, and myocardial gene profiling are useful diagnostic tools. Current research has identified several potential biomarkers for GCM, including myocarditis-associated immune cells, cytokines, and other chemicals. The standard of care for GCM includes aggressive immunosuppressive therapy with corticosteroids and immunomodulatory agents like rituximab, cyclosporine, and infliximab, which have shown promising results in GCM by balancing the immune system and preventing the attack on healthy tissues, resulting in the reduction of inflammation, promotion of healing, and decreasing the necessity for cardiac transplantation. Without immunosuppression, the chance of mortality or cardiac surgery was 100%. Multiple studies have revealed that a treatment combination of corticosteroids and immunomodulatory agents is superior to corticosteroids alone. Combination therapy significantly increased transplant-free survival (TFS) and decreased the likelihood of heart transplantation, hence improving overall survival. It is important to balance the benefits of immunosuppression with its potentially adverse effects. In conclusion, immunomodulatory therapy adds significant long-term survival benefits to GCM.

Acute Myocardial Infarction in a 13-Year-Old Boy after Bone Marrow Transplantation

BACKGROUND

Advances in bone marrow transplantation (BMT) present a unique opportunity for treating leukemia in children. It has also increased the risk of long-term complications in the lungs, genitourinary tract, and nervous system. Coronary artery disease is the most common type of heart disease in older adults, but is not generally acknowledged as a complication of BMT, especially in young patients.

CASE REPORT

We report the occurrence of acute myocardial infarction in a 13-year-old boy, approximately 5 years after he received a half-matched related bone marrow transplant from his father for T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia. Acute myocarditis was suspected early in the clinical course on the basis of his age and clinical presentations, such as atypical chest pain and dyspnea. Follow-up coronary angiography revealed a total occlusion of the right coronary artery, as well as diffused lesions of the left main, anterior descending, and circumflex branch. Fortunately, he was discharged from the hospital in satisfactory general condition after complex treatment. Why Should An Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? In this case, its rarity and poor clinical recognition were the main reasons for delayed diagnosis, which led to a delay to coronary angiography. Given the high mortality in cardiovascular complications among BMT recipients, the correct diagnostic assessment in such cases becomes particularly relevant.

Towards a Better Understanding of the Atypical Features of Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease: A Report from the 2020 National Institutes of Health Consensus Project Task Force

Alloreactive and autoimmune responses after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation can occur in non-classical chronic graft-versus-host disease (chronic GVHD) tissues and organ systems or manifest in atypical ways in classical organs commonly affected by chronic GVHD. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) consensus projects were developed to improve understanding and classification of the clinical features and diagnostic criteria for chronic GVHD. While still speculative whether atypical manifestations are entirely due to chronic GVHD, these manifestations remain poorly captured by the current NIH consensus project criteria. Examples include chronic GVHD impacting the hematopoietic system as immune mediated cytopenias, endothelial dysfunction, or as atypical features in the musculoskeletal system, central and peripheral nervous system, kidneys, and serous membranes. These purported chronic GVHD features may contribute significantly to patient morbidity and mortality. Most of the atypical chronic GVHD features have received little study, particularly within multi-institutional and prospective studies, limiting our understanding of their frequency, pathogenesis, and relation to chronic GVHD. This NIH consensus project task force report provides an update on what is known and not known about the atypical manifestations of chronic GVHD, while outlining a research framework for future studies to be undertaken within the next three to seven years. We also provide provisional diagnostic criteria for each atypical manifestation, along with practical investigation strategies for clinicians managing patients with atypical chronic GVHD features.