Influenza-associated Fulminant Myocarditis Complicated by Guillain-Barré Syndrome

Abstract

We herein report the case of a 47-year-old woman who was admitted with weakness and numbness of the limbs and dyspnea after being infected with influenza virus A. She had a history of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) 7 years prior to this presentation. On admission, she was in shock, and transthoracic echocardiography showed severely reduced left-ventricular function. She was diagnosed with fulminant myocarditis by an endomyocardial biopsy, which was complicated by GBS. Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was required to manage the cardiogenic shock. After her condition improved, immunoadsorption for GBS was performed, and the motor and sensory disorders gradually improved.

Fulminant Myocarditis Complicated by Stiff-person Syndrome: A Case Report

“…[6] Studies have reported that viral infection might be associated with Guillain-Barre syndrome and SPS. [17–22] Evidence of a respiratory viral infection was not found in this patient. Nevertheless, the inflammatory response to an infectious process should not be ignored, and a cytokine storm might be responsible for myocardial injury and nerve injury.…”