Autoimmune myocarditis
Overview
Autoimmune myocarditis is a form of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) in which the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy heart tissue, causing inflammation that can weaken the heart muscle and interfere with its ability to pump blood effectively. Autoimmune myocarditis may occur on its own or alongside other autoimmune diseases. If left untreated, it can lead to abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias), dilated cardiomyopathy, chronic heart failure, or, in severe cases, sudden cardiac death.
Common Symptoms
Chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, palpitations or abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias), lightheadedness or fainting, reduced exercise tolerance, swelling of the legs, ankles, or feet, signs of heart failure in more severe cases.
Coexisting Diseases and Conditions
Risk Factors and Prevalence
Autoimmune myocarditis is a rare disease that most commonly affects young and middle-aged adults, although it can occur at any age. Risk factors include having another autoimmune disease, certain genetic susceptibility factors, and immune system dysregulation. Some cases develop after immune checkpoint inhibitor cancer therapy, which can trigger an autoimmune attack against the heart.
Recent Research
- Autoimmune Myocarditis, Old Dogs and New Tricks (2024)
- Cardiac myosin-specific autoimmune T cells contribute to immune-checkpoint-inhibitor-associated myocarditis (2022)
- Inhibition of phosphoglycerate kinase 1 attenuates autoimmune myocarditis by reprogramming CD4+ T cell metabolism (2023)
- Myocarditis and autoimmunity (2023)
- Aggravation of TGFβ1-Smad Pathway and Autoimmune Myocarditis by Fungicide (Tebuconazole) Exposure (2023)
- STING regulates the transformation of the proinflammatory macrophage phenotype by HIF1A into autoimmune myocarditis (2023)
Sources
- Sources
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Li, H. S., Ligons, D. L., & Rose, N. R. (2008). Genetic complexity of autoimmune myocarditis. Autoimmunity reviews, 7(3), 168–173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autrev.2007.11.010
Bracamonte-Baran, W., & Čiháková, D. (2017). Cardiac Autoimmunity: Myocarditis. Advances in experimental medicine and biology, 1003, 187–221. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57613-8_10
Caforio, A. L., Vinci, A., & Iliceto, S. (2008). Anti-heart autoantibodies in familial dilated cardiomyopathy. Autoimmunity, 41(6), 462–469. https://doi.org/10.1080/08916930802031546
Fairweather, D., Cooper, L. T., Jr, & Blauwet, L. A. (2013). Sex and gender differences in myocarditis and dilated cardiomyopathy. Current problems in cardiology, 38(1), 7–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpcardiol.2012.07.003
Blauwet, L. A., & Cooper, L. T. (2010). Myocarditis. Progress in cardiovascular diseases, 52(4), 274–288. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcad.2009.11.006
Won, T., Song, E. J., Kalinoski, H. M., Moslehi, J. J., & Čiháková, D. (2024). Autoimmune Myocarditis, Old Dogs and New Tricks. Circulation research, 134(12), 1767–1790. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.124.323816
Tschöpe, C., Ammirati, E., Bozkurt, B., Caforio, A. L. P., Cooper, L. T., Felix, S. B., Hare, J. M., Heidecker, B., Heymans, S., Hübner, N., Kelle, S., Klingel, K., Maatz, H., Parwani, A. S., Spillmann, F., Starling, R. C., Tsutsui, H., Seferovic, P., & Van Linthout, S. (2021). Myocarditis and inflammatory cardiomyopathy: current evidence and future directions. Nature reviews. Cardiology, 18(3), 169–193. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41569-020-00435-x
Leuschner, F., Katus, H. A., & Kaya, Z. (2009). Autoimmune myocarditis: past, present and future. Journal of autoimmunity, 33(3-4), 282–289. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaut.2009.07.009