Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a severe myocardial disease with diversified etiologies. Coxsackievirus serotype B (CV-B) is a known cause of infectious myocarditis that leads to DCM. The pathogenesis of CV-B myocarditis is complex and involves a combination of tissue destruction from viral proliferation and host immune response. Diagnosis is based on clinical findings and the presence of post-infection elevated titers of IgM antibodies to CV-B. Echocardiography is an important imaging modality that plays a key role in diagnosing DCM. Rare complications of coxsackievirus infection may include facial paralysis and chronic kidney disease with nephrotic syndrome. Here we present a rare case of a 29-year-old-male with recent Bell's palsy who presented with new-onset heart failure with left ventricular ejection fraction of 5% and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis nephrotic syndrome in the setting of elevated antibodies to CV-B.
Keywords: bells palsy; coxsackie myocarditis; coxsackie virus; dilated cardiomyopathy; focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (fsgs); heart failure with reduced ejection fraction; nephrotic syndrome.
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