Myocarditis Induced by Immunotherapy: A Rare but Fatal Complication

P. M. Mulendele *

Department of Cardiology P37, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca, Morocco.

M. Njie

Department of Cardiology P37, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca, Morocco.

M. B. Charfo

Department of Cardiology P37, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca, Morocco.

G. M. Lukifimpa

Hospital Centre of South Seine and Marne, NEMOURS, France.

M. S. Boutar

Department of Cardiology P37, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca, Morocco.

B. E. Ovaga

Department of Cardiology P37, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca, Morocco.

M. Haboub

Department of Cardiology P37, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca, Morocco and Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco.

S. Arous

Department of Cardiology P37, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca, Morocco and Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco.

M. G. Benouna

Department of Cardiology P37, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca, Morocco and Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco.

A. Drighil

Department of Cardiology P37, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca, Morocco and Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco.

L. Azzouzi

Department of Cardiology P37, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca, Morocco and Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco.

R. Habbal

Department of Cardiology P37, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca, Morocco and Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco.

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.


Abstract

The emergence of immunotherapy and the gradual expansion of its indications in oncology will require particular vigilance to detect and quickly take care of the potential cardiac toxicities. They have improved prognosis and survival, including patients with kidney, lung or skin cancers (melanoma) and certain lymphomas. The incidence of unwanted cardiac events under immunotherapy is rare, undoubtedly less than 1 % under Ipilimab, Pembrolizumab and Nivolumab. Cardiac toxicity can be induced by many drugs but this time we focused on myocarditis induced by immuno-modulators, which is a rare but very fatal complication and has 2 main parts: an illustration of a clinical case and a review of the literature comprising generality, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, diagnostic strategy and therapeutic management based on the guidelines of the European Society of cardiology on cardio-oncology recently published in 2022. Corticosteroids are drugs effective in the treatment of cardiac toxicity induced by immunotherapy.

Keywords: Myocarditis, immune check point inhibitors, corticosteroids


How to Cite

Mulendele, P. M., M. Njie, M. B. Charfo, G. M. Lukifimpa, M. S. Boutar, B. E. Ovaga, M. Haboub, S. Arous, M. G. Benouna, A. Drighil, L. Azzouzi, and R. Habbal. 2023. “Myocarditis Induced by Immunotherapy: A Rare But Fatal Complication”. Cardiology and Angiology: An International Journal 12 (4):201-12. https://doi.org/10.9734/ca/2023/v12i4360.