Myocarditis is a focal or diffuse inflammatory process of the myocardium. Along with the deepening of research, there are new technological advances which are useful to the diagnosis and treatment of myocarditis. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging has become a useful noninvasive imaging tool for diagnosis of myocarditis, but does not replace endomyocardial biopsy. The supportive treatment has remained the mainstay of therapy for patients with myocarditis, especially with fulminant myocarditis, including the comprehensive treatment of shock, heart failure, and arrhythmia. Due to the lack of large clinical data, diagnosis and treatment for myocarditis remains to be further explored.
Humans ; Myocarditis ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Prognosis

China ; Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Myocarditis/therapy*

Adult ; Humans ; Myocarditis/therapy* ; Risk Factors

Child ; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation ; Humans ; Myocarditis/therapy* ; Treatment Outcome

Amiodarone ; therapeutic use ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Electric Countershock ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Myocarditis ; therapy ; Ventricular Flutter ; therapy

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Hemofiltration ; methods ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Myocarditis ; therapy

Adult ; Critical Illness ; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Myocarditis ; therapy

Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/adverse effects* ; Humans ; Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/adverse effects* ; Myocarditis/drug therapy*

Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/adverse effects* ; Carcinoma ; Esophageal Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Myocarditis/chemically induced*

OBJECTIVETo review the experimental drugs for the treatment of autoimmune myocarditis.

DATA SOURCESThe literatures published in English about different kinds of experimental drugs based on different therapeutic mechanisms for the treatment of autoimmune myocarditis were obtained from PubMed from 2002 to 2013.

STUDY SELECTIONOriginal articles regarding the experimental drugs for treatment of autoimmune myocarditis were selected.

RESULTSThis study summarized the effects of the experimental drugs for the treatment of autoimmune myocarditis, such as immunomodulators and immunosuppressants, antibiotics, Chinese medicinal herbs, cardiovascular diseases treatment drugs, etc. These drugs can significantly attenuate autoimmune myocarditis-induced inflammation and fibrosis, alleviate autoimmune myocarditis-triggered overt lymphocyte proliferation, and meanwhile reduce Th1 cytokines (IFN-γ and IL-2) and increase Th2 cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10).

CONCLUSIONThis study summarized recent advances in autoimmune myocarditis treatment and further proposes that traditional Chinese medicine and immune regulators will play important roles in the future.

Animals ; Autoimmune Diseases ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Investigational ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Myocarditis ; drug therapy ; Therapies, Investigational ; trends