title: Immunosuppressive therapy of chronic myocarditis in children: three cases and the design of a randomized prospective trial of therapy.
abstract: Three infants, each with a clinical picture of dilated cardiomyopathy, underwent endomyocardial biopsy. Immunohistologic analysis revealed chronic myocarditis. In one infant, a postviral etiology of chronic myocarditis could be assessed on the basis of molecular techniques. Therapy with azathioprine and prednisone resulted in the normalization of echocardiographic findings. Based on these observations, a randomized, multicenter treatment study of chronic myocarditis in children (TCMC) has been initiated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Cardiology, University of Essen, University Children's Hospital, Germany.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Schmaltz
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Demel
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kallenberg
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Neudorf
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kandolf
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Klingel
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bültmann
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007223:Infant; D008967:Molecular Biology; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012107:Research Design
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D001379:Azathioprine; D011241:Prednisone