Influenza Al Myocarditis in Conscripts

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Abstract
The incidence of viral myocarditis was studied prospectively at the Central Military Hospital 1 in Finland in connection with an A1 virus influenza epidemic in Jan. 1978. Of 104 conscripts consecutively hospitalized because of a sudden respiratory infection, 41 had serologically confirmed influenza A, 37 were serologically negative, while in 26 it was not possible to carry out complete virological analyses. Of the serologically confirmed influenza patients, 6 had acute myocarditis on the basis of serial ECG ST segment and/or T wave changes, unresponsive to .beta.-blockade. The incidence of the influenza A myocarditis was 9% of the 67 verified and suspected cases of influenza taken together. Multidirectional echocardiography revealed regional myocardial dysfunction in all the influenza patients with myocarditis; the MB-CK [myocardial band creatine kinase] isoenzyme was elevated in 3 of them. The ECG changes found in connection with influenza commonly indicate the presence of myocardial involvement, usually a mild one.