Myocarditis is a life-threatening disease, especially in young children. Until now, there has been a lack of evidence for the varying severity of the course of the disease, which is often triggered by a viral infection, in the young age group.

Molecular genetic analysis of tissue and DNA samples from the National Registry for Congenital Heart Defects biobank revealed that infants who had dilated cardiomyopathy in addition to myocarditis were particularly at higher risk of developing permanent heart failure or even dying from it.

Genetic Analysis Can Help

The researchers therefore recommend expanding genetic diagnostics for affected patients. In the future, genetic analyses may help to prevent severe disease progression in time.

The publication of the study results in the journal Circulation: Genomic and Precision Medicine was awarded Paper of the Month by the German Center for Cardiovascular Diseases (DZHK) in August.

The research project involved scientists from the Experimental and Clinical Research Center of the Charité and the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (ECRC), the Clinics for Congenital Heart Defects and Pediatric Cardiology of the Charité and the German Heart Center Berlin (DHZB), and the Competence Network for Congenital Heart Defects.