Lupus myocarditis: marked improvement in cardiac function after intravenous immunoglobulin therapy

• DOI: 10.1007/s00296-009-1098-x
• Publication Date: 2009-08-20T05:50:58Z
• Authors: Vikas Suri; Subhash Varma; Kiran Joshi; Pankaj Malhotra; Savita Kumari; Sanjay Jain
• Keywords: Intravenous Immunoglobulins; Viral Myocarditis

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) is emerging as the mainstay in the treatment of many autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus. IVIg has been found to be beneficial in myocarditis due to dermatomyositis/polymyositis, Kawasaki disease, and viral myocarditis in children. We report an 18-year-old man of active lupus with worsening cardiac systolic function who did not respond to pulse methylprednisolone and cyclophosphamide, but subsequently showed an improvement in his cardiac function after IVIg administration.