Rapid onset of myocardial calcification following septic shock due to influenza superinfection: a case report

Myocardial calcification is an unusual complication of septic cardiomyopathy. Dystrophic calcification may occur after damage to myocardial tissue, but its occurrence is rare.

A 42-year-old pregnant woman with no past medical history was admitted in intensive care for respiratory distress caused by bacterial superinfection of influenza. Subepicardial calcification of the left ventricle appeared on a computed tomography at Day 8. Calcification worsened quickly, but we observed a paradoxical improvement in left ventricle function, as assessed by left ventricular ejection fraction and global longitudinal strain using echocardiography with speckle tracking.

The pathophysiology of myocardial calcification is not fully understood, but prolonged haemodynamic failure, profound acidosis, high vasopressor doses, and acute respiratory distress syndrome were previously associated with septic-related myocardial calcification.