Echocardiographic follow-up of diphtheric myocarditis.

We report the first case of diphtheric myocarditis documented by serial electrocardiography and echocardiography. The electrocardiographic changes preceded the contraction abnormalities by 3 weeks. During a prolonged neurologic disease with extensive polyneuropathy, the patient had only subtle clinical signs of myocarditis. In patients with diphtheria, electrocardiographic changes may warrant repetitive echocardiographic examinations.