The clinical course of acquired complete heart block in children with acute myocarditis.

A case of biopsy-proven myocarditis in a 7-year-old complicated by advanced atrioventricular (AV) block prompted a review of the medical literature to determine the prognosis for recovery of AV conduction or need for pacemaker implantation. A total of 40 patients younger than 20 years of age were identified, with return of AV conduction within 7 days in 27 patients (67%), permanent pacing in 11 patients (28%) with persistent AV block, and death in 2 patients (5%).