title: The management of myocarditis.
abstract: Despite considerable advances in our understanding of myocarditis pathogenesis, the clinical management of myocarditis has changed relatively little in the last few years. This review aims to help bridge the widening gap between recent mechanistic insights, which are largely derived from animal models, and their potential impact on disease burden. We illustrate the pathogenetic mechanisms that are prime targets for novel therapeutic interventions. Pathway and pathogen-specific molecular diagnostic tests have expanded the role for endomyocardial biopsy. State of the art cardiac magnetic resonance imaging can now provide non-invasive tissue characterization and localize inflammatory infiltrates but imaging techniques are misleading if infectious agents are involved. We emphasize the gaps in our current clinical knowledge, particularly with respect to aetiology-based therapy, and suggest opportunities for high impact, translational investigations.
authors.affiliation: Charite Hospital, Berlin, Germany. heinz-peter.schultheiss@charite.de
authors.forename: Heinz-Peter
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Schultheiss
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kühl
authors.forename: Leslie T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Cooper
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008297:Male; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016899:Interferon-beta