Abstract
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a connective tissue disease characterized by the production of auto-antibodies and immune complexes, can affect all organs including the heart. The involvement of the conduction system in SLE has been less commonly described. We report a case of an asymptomatic 45-year-old woman with SLE referred to the emergency department (ED) for thrombocytopenia, and was found to have alternating first- and second-degree atrioventricular block (AVB) during routine electrocardiographic screening for hospital admission. Serial electrocardiograms (ECG) done in the ED when compared to those recorded 24 h prior revealed progression from mild first-degree AVB (PR interval = 216 ms) to significant first-degree AVB (PR interval = 510 ms), followed by second-degree AVB (Mobitz type I—Wenckebach phenomenon). The conduction abnormalities recorded over a 28-h period resolved with corticosteroid treatment. Review of the literature on the disruption of the cardiac conduction system in SLE is discussed.
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Abbreviations
- ANA:
-
Antinuclear antibody
- AV:
-
Atrioventricular
- AVB:
-
Atrioventricular block
- BBB:
-
Bundle branch block
- CHB:
-
Complete heart block
- CK-MB:
-
Creatine kinase MB fraction
- dsDNA:
-
Double-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid
- ECG:
-
Electrocardiogram(s)
- ED:
-
Emergency department
- La/SS-B:
-
Sjogren syndrome associated antigen B
- RNP:
-
Ribonucleoprotein
- Ro/SS-A:
-
Sjogren syndrome associated antigen A
- SLE:
-
Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Sm:
-
Smith antibody
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Liautaud, S., Khan, A.J., Nalamasu, S.R. et al. Variable atrioventricular block in systemic lupus erythematosus. Clin Rheumatol 24, 162–165 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-004-0995-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-004-0995-3