Microtubule inhibition therapy by colchicine in severe myocarditis especially caused by Epstein-Barr and cytomegalovirus co-infection during a two-year period: a novel therapeutic approach.

The co-infection of Epstein-Barr virus and Cytomegalovirus rarely gains multi-pathogenicity and leads to viral myocarditis. Also, it may lead to progressive heart failure or sudden death. We present a case series of five patients who were monitored for the impact of low-dose colchicine therapy as adjunct to conventional heart failure therapy. Epstein-Barr virus, Cytomegalovirus and other viral antibodies were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Adjuvant low-dose colchicine therapy (2x0.5 mg twice daily) was prescribed for addition to the conventional heart failure therapy of these patients and it wsa continued for two years. Ejection fractions of echocardiographic examinations in all patients were 21%, 18%, 25%, 20% and 21% before low-dose colchicine therapy. After two years of treatment, the values increased to 59%, 45%, 40%, 25% and 41%, respectively. The early implementation of low-dose colchicine in these patients seemed to have beneficial effects on overall survival.