Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of patients with giant cell myocarditis (GCM) supported with mechanical circulatory support (MCS) alone or in combination with immunosuppression.
| Baseline Characteristics 1 | MCS Alone (n = 16) | MCS + IS (n = 27) | Total (n = 43) | p-Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 5/11 (45.5) | 11/27 (40.7) | 16/38 (42.1) | 1.00 |
| Age at diagnosis (years) | 41.0 (30.0, 55.0) | 49.0 (34.5, 58.5) | 44.5 (32.2, 56.5) | 0.25 |
| History of autoimmune disease | 1/16 (6.2) | 7/24 (29.2) | 8/40 (20.0) | 0.17 |
| History of thymoma or other tumors | 0/16 (0.0) | 0/24 (0.0) | 0/40 (0.0) | 1.00 |
| Clinical presentation | ||||
| Acute heart failure | 5/16 (31.2) | 10/27 (37.0) | 15/43 (34.9) | 0.96 |
| Shortness of breath | 6/16 (37.5) | 4/27 (14.8) | 10/43 (23.3) | 0.18 |
| Cardiogenic shock | 3/16 (18.8) | 6/27 (22.2) | 9/43 (20.9) | 1.00 |
| Presyncope | 3/16 (18.8) | 3/27 (11.1) | 6/43 (14.0) | 0.81 |
| Chest pain | 2/16 (12.5) | 2/27 (7.4) | 4/43 (9.3) | 0.99 |
| Cardiac arrest requiring CPR | 0/16 (0.0) | 1/27 (3.7) | 1/43 (2.3) | 1.00 |
| ST segment elevation | 1/16 (6.2) | 4/27 (14.8) | 5/43 (11.6) | 0.72 |
| Arrhythmia | 11/15 (73.3) | 13/27 (48.1) | 24/42 (57.1) | 0.21 |
| Ventricular tachycardia | 5/15 (33.3) | 7/25 (28.0) | 12/40 (30.0) | 1.00 |
| Complete AV block | 3/15 (20.0) | 4/25 (16.0) | 7/40 (17.5) | 1.00 |
| Right bundle branch block | 2/15 (13.3) | 0/22 (0.0) | 2/37 (5.4) | 0.31 |
| Atrial fibrillation | 0/15 (0.0) | 1/25 (4.0) | 1/40 (2.5) | 1.00 |
| Time from symptoms to admission (days) | 7 (6, 7) | 8 (7, 11) | 7 (7, 10) | 0.20 |
| Elevated cardiac enzymes | 8/16 (50.0) | 3/27 (11.1) | 11/43 (25.6) | 0.13 |
| LVEF at presentation (%) | 17.0 (12.5, 20.0) | 28.0 (20.0, 30.0) | 20.0 (15.0, 28.2) | 0.03 |
| Biopsy proven | 16/16 (100.0) | 27/27 (100.0) | 43/43 (100.0) | 0.09 |
| Endomyocardial biopsy | 9/16 (56.2) | 22/27 (81.5) | 31/43 (72.1) | 0.15 |
| Apical sample during LVAD implantation | 6/16 (37.5) | 4/27 (14.8) | 10/43 (23.3) | 0.18 |
| Explanted heart | 1/43 (6.2) | 0/43 (0.0) | 1/43 (2.3) | 0.79 |
| Time from symptoms to diagnosis (days) | 16 (4,21) | 21 (9,54) | 18.5 (7,54) | 0.51 |
| Initial inotropic support | 11/14 (78.6) | 13/25 (52.0) | 24/39 (61.5) | 0.20 |
1 All values are reported as n (%) or median (interquartile range (IQR)). Abbreviations—MCS: mechanical circulatory support, IS: immunosuppression, CPR: cardiopulmonary resuscitation, AV: atrioventricular, LVEF: left ventricular ejection fraction, LVAD: left ventricular assist device.