Myocarditis is an inflammatory disease of the heart, mostly caused by viruses. Patients with acute myocarditis are exposed to several complications: recurrence, ventricular arrhythmias (from 5 to 30%), heart failure (5-10%), death or heart transplantation (\< 4%). To date, there is no specific treatment for myocarditis. Patient management only focuses upon empirical optimal care of arrhythmia and heart failure. There is a strong rationale for using colchicine in acute myocarditis: * the IL1 (Interleukin1) pathway plays a detrimental role in acute myocarditis. NLRP3 (NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3) inflammasome assembly, and subsequent IL-1beta production, are profoundly inhibited by colchicine. * colchicine has been shown to improve cardiac outcomes in inflammatory cardiac disorders, including pericarditis, coronary artery disease, and post pericardiotomy syndrome. * In murine model of CVB3-induced myocarditis (coxsackievirus B3), colchicine improved myocarditis through reduction of NLRP3 activity. * Small case series with improvement of left ejection fraction in myocarditis following low-dose colchicine in addition to conventional heart failure therapy have been reported. With its pleiotropic anti-inflammatory effect in the pro-inflammatory cascade, reducing the myocardial damage and cell death induced during myocarditis, colchicine has the potential to reduce the risk of heart failure and ventricular arrhythmias. Finally, colchicine is a drug widely available, at low cost, and has a long and well-known safety record.
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Extent of Late Gadolinium Enhancement (LGE) evaluated on Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR)
Timeframe: Six months post-randomization
Composite Clinical primary outcome
Timeframe: Six months post-randomization