Key result
Timely ECMO support can save infants with acute myocarditis presenting atypically as VF.
Why the study?
Ventricular fibrillation as an initial presentation is rarely recognized in infants with myocarditis.
Case Report (n=1)
No
Acute myocarditis should be considered in infants presenting with ventricular fibrillation, as electrical instability may precede mechanical dysfunction and cardiogenic shock.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
VF may signal myocarditis in infants; leaves open whether early ECMO improves survival in this rare presentation.
Ventricular fibrillation (VF) as an initial presentation is rarely recognized in infants with myocarditis.We report a 43-day-old female infant with a known ventricular septal defect who presented with VF.After resuscitation by prehospital defibrillation, cardiac function was initially preserved but rapidly deteriorated into cardiogenic shock.Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was initiated, leading to hemodynamic stabilization.Clinical and laboratory findings supported the diagnosis of acute myocarditis.This case highlights that acute myocarditis should be considered in infants presenting with VF, even when initial cardiac function appears preserved.
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Pham et al. (2026) conducted a case report in Acute myocarditis (n=1). Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and immunosuppressive therapy was evaluated. In infants, acute myocarditis can present atypically with ventricular fibrillation preceding overt ventricular dysfunction, and early recognition with timely ECMO support can be lifesaving.
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