Yes. Chronic myocarditis, dilated cardiomyopathy, and heart failure occur more frequently in men than women. Recently two studies were published finding that myocardial recovery after acute myocarditis and transplant-free survival occurred much less frequently in men than women with myocarditis 6,11. Another study found that men are two-times more likely to develop myocardial fibrosis (i.e. scarring) following myocarditis than women 12. Fibrosis is a scar that develops in the cardiac muscle that makes it more difficult for the heart to pump efficiently and usually leads to dilated cardiomyopathy, or an enlarged heart, and may progress to heart failure. Researchers have found that elevated testosterone levels in males directly promote the type of inflammation that leads to increased myocarditis, fibrosis, dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure