title: Myocarditis and hepatitis B virus.
abstract: Two patients with hepatitis B virus infection and myocarditis are reported. The implicated pathogenesis was an immune complex mechanism in one patient. Both patients presented with heart failure and arrhythmia which were controlled with conventional medical therapy. Echocardiography played an important role for early detection of left ventricular dysfunction. The efficacy and safety of corticosteroid therapy is still conjectural. Acute hepatitis B infection should be a differential diagnostic consideration in the etiology of acute myocarditis.
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Mahapatra
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Ellis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007105:Immune Complex Diseases; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology