Brugada Syndrome

Research conducted at T. Ohgo and co-researchers has updated our knowledge about ventricular fibrillation

Brugada Syndrome Library Library Home This article was published in Biotech Business Week, which you can subscribe to online.

"Sixty-seven patients with Brugada syndrome (65 men and 2 women, age 46 14 years) were divided into three groups: 7 patients with a history of electrical storm of VF (group 1), 39 symptomatic patients with documented VF and/or syncope (group II), and 21 asymptomatic patients (group III). Electrical storm was defined as three or more episodes of VF per day recorded by the memory of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator No significant differences were observed among the three groups with regard to clinical (age at diagnosis, familial history of sudden cardiac death), laboratory (SCN5A mutation and serum potassium Level), electrocardiographic and electrophysiologic characteristics, and follow-up duration after diagnosis. However, arrhythmic events during follow-up after diagnosis and number of arrhythmic events per patient were significantly higher in group I compared with groups II and III. Isoproterenol infusion (0.003 +/- 0.003 mu g/kg/min for 24 +/- 13 days) completely suppressed electrical storm of VF in all five patients treated and was successfully replaced with oral medications, including denopamine, quinidine, isoproterenol, cilostazol, and bepridil atone or in combination. No specifically clinical, laboratory, etectrocardiographic, and electrophysiologic characteristics were recognized in patients with Brugada syndrome associated with electrical storm of VF," wrote T. Ohgo and colleagues.

The researchers concluded: "Isoproterenol infusion was effective as an acute treatment in suppressing electrical storm of VF and was successfully replaced with chronic oral medications."

Ohgo and colleagues published their study in Heart Rhythm (Acute and chronic management in patients with Brugada syndrome associated with electrical storm of ventricular fibrillation. Heart Rhythm, 2007;4(6):695-700).

For additional information, contact W. Shimizu, National Cardiovascular Center, Dept. of Internal Medical, Division Cardiology, 5-7-1 Fujishiro Dai, Osaka 5658565, Japan.

The publisher's contact information for the journal Heart Rhythm is: Elsevier Science Inc., 360 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010-1710, USA.

Keywords: Japan, Osaka, Antiarrhythmic, Antimalarial, Bronchodilator, Brugada Syndrome, Cardiology, Cardiotonic, Electrical Storm, Isoproterenol, Quinidine, Sudden Cardiac Death, Sympathomimetic, Ventricular Fibrillation.

This article was prepared by Biotech Business Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2007, Biotech Business Week via NewsRx.com.