Key result
Acyclovir and steroid pulse therapy successfully treat varicella pneumonia and myopericarditis mimicking acute STEMI.
Why the study?
Primary varicella infection in immunocompetent young adults is very rare but has a high mortality rate due to serious complications such as varicella pneumonia and ARDS mimicking acute myocardial infarction.
Case Report (n=1)
Varicella myopericarditis can mimic acute STEMI and present with ARDS, highlighting the importance of considering alternative diagnoses and early antiviral therapy in atypical presentations.
Varicella pneumonia may mimic STEMI in young adults with ARDS; leaves open whether viral testing alters management in atypical presentations.
Primary varicella infection in an immunocompetent young adult is very rare, but it has a high mortality rate due to serious complications. We report a rare association of varicella pneumonia presenting in acute respiratory distress with mild chest pain, however with electrocardiographic and biochemical markers suggestive of acute ST elevation myocardial infarction. Coronary angiography was done to exclude infarction, serum antibody titers confirmed varicella, acyclovir was started, and ARDS was successfully treated with steroid pulse therapy and mechanical ventilator support. Early administration of antivirals and aggressive management of ARDS were thought to be necessary to overcome the potential life-threatening complications of varicella infection in adults. This case illustrates that not every MI is really MI.
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Chaudhari et al. (2015) conducted a case report in Varicella myopericarditis with ARDS (n=1). Acyclovir, steroid pulse therapy, and mechanical ventilator support was evaluated on Successful treatment of ARDS. Acyclovir, steroid pulse therapy, and mechanical ventilation successfully treated a young adult with varicella pneumonia and myopericarditis mimicking acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction.
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