A different background of arrhythmia in siblings with a positive family history of sudden death at young age

Ann Noninvasive Electrocardiol. 2020 Jul;25(4):e12707. doi: 10.1111/anec.12707. Epub 2019 Oct 14.

Abstract

We present two symptomatic sisters who had a positive family history of sudden death. None of them had structural heart disease. In the 25-year-old proband, complex ventricular arrhythmia, cardiac conduction system disease, and skeletal muscle weakness were found. Genetic examination showed a pathogenic intronic variant in the desmin gene in the proband only. In the elder sister with palpitations, complex ventricular arrhythmia (>46 000 ectopic beats) was removed by radiofrequency ablation. This family case shows that complex ventricular arrhythmia may have different background within one family, genetic examinations should be performed in a person with broadest spectrum of symptoms.

Keywords: basic; clinical; electrophysiology - cardiac arrest/sudden death; molecular biology/genetics.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Death, Sudden, Cardiac / prevention & control*
  • Electrocardiography / methods*
  • Female
  • Heart Conduction System / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Radiofrequency Ablation / methods*
  • Tachycardia, Ventricular / diagnosis*
  • Tachycardia, Ventricular / physiopathology
  • Tachycardia, Ventricular / surgery*