Objectives To investigate the one-year prognosis and its potential influencing factors of viral myocarditis (VMC).

Methods Eighty-six patients who were clinically diagnosed VMC involved in this one-year follow-up. Using the method of Logistic multivariant stepwise regression analysis to compare one-year outcome and recurrence condition of VMC with patients’ general information, history, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome score at zero point, antimyocardial antibody (AMA), therapeutic method and time, etc.

Results Finally seventy-nine VMC patients completed one-year follow-up, and the other seven patients were failed to visit. The result of this follow-up showed that 53.2% of the patients fully recovered from illness, 30.4% of the patients were still in convalescence stage, and the other 16.4% had remained arrhythmia. No cases changed into dilated cardiomyopathy or died, but seven patients had recurrence in one year. TCM syndrome score at zero point (OR = 0.392) and recurrence (OR = 0.143) were significant predictors for fully recovery from VMC one year later. TCM syndrome score at zero point (OR = 3.509) and AMA (OR = 0.643) were significant predictors for still in convalescence stage one year later. AMA (OR = 1.809) was a significant predictor for remained arrhythmia one year later. Rest (OR = 0.216) was a significant predictor for recurrence in one year.

Conclusions TCM syndrome score at zero point, recurrence and AMA are risk factors for one-year prognosis of VMC, while rest is a protective factor for recurrence in one year.