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Biomedical subjects

L Bergfeldt

Publications and source records attributed to L Bergfeldt.

66 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Pacemaker treated women with heart block have no increase in the frequency of HLA-B27 and associated rheumatic disorders in contrast to men--a sex linked difference in disease susceptibility.

HLA-B27 associated rheumatic syndromes have been found in 13% of more than 200 pacemaker treated Caucasian men. Furthermore, a significantly increased frequency of HLA-B27 was found in pacemaker treated men without HLA-B27 associated rheumatic disorders. Consequently, an HLA-B27 associated disease process seems to be the cause of heart block development in 15 to 20% of Caucasian pacemaker treated men. The purpose of our study was to find out if the HLA-B27 associated disease process was equally common in pacemaker treated women. Eighty-five pacemaker treated women with second and third degree heart block were HLA typed for B27, and HLA-B27 positive individuals were further examined for the presence of associated rheumatic disorders. HLA-B27 was present in 7 women, 8.2%, similar to the frequency in the general population, and none of them had an associated rheumatic disease. Thus, there is a significant sex linked difference in the susceptibility to HLA-B27 associated heart block.

Adult↗

Disopyramide induced second and third degree atrioventricular block in patients with bifascicular block. An acute stress test to predict atrioventricular block progression.

Syncopal attacks in patients with bifascicular block may be due to both ventricular tachyarrhythmias and intermittent atrioventricular block in addition to non-cardiac causes and lead to antiarrhythmic treatment with drugs or pacemaker or both. The acute electrophysiological effect of intravenous disopyramide 2 mg/kg body weight given over five minutes on the His-Purkinje system was assessed in 27 patients with chronic bifascicular block undergoing evaluation for permanent pacemaker treatment. The predictive value of this pharmacological stress test as regards the development of atrioventricular block during follow up was analysed. The HV interval increased (mean 43%) and the QRS duration was prolonged (mean 24%). Intrahisian or infrahisian second or third degree atrioventricular block occurred in 14 patients after disopyramide administration, requiring temporary pacing in four of them. Before the electrophysiological study 15 of the 27 patients had had at least two syncopal attacks of suspected cardiac origin but no evidence of second or third degree atrioventricular block. Second or third degree atrioventricular block was subsequently recorded in five of these 15 patients during a mean of two years follow up. The sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value of second or third degree atrioventricular block produced by disopyramide administration including subsequent atrial pacing--a positive disopyramide test--as regards later development of atrioventricular block were 80%, 90%, and 80% respectively. Intravenous administration of disopyramide to patients with bifascicular block and syncopal attacks of suspected cardiac origin may provoke atrioventricular block and asystole requiring immediate temporary pacing. Furthermore, a positive disopyramide test seems to have a significant value in predicting the later development of atrioventricular block.

Adult↗

HLA-B27-associated heart disease. Clinicopathologic study of three cases.

The histologic features of the cardiac lesions in HLA-B27-associated heart disease were examined in three cases that illustrate different nuances of the clinical spectrum of this disorder. One of these cases constitutes an important link between the previously established concept of cardiac manifestations in ankylosing spondylitis and Reiter's disease and the recently introduced, wider concept of HLA-B27-associated cardiac manifestations. A correlation between the invasive electrophysiologic results and the autopsy findings is demonstrated in another case.

Aged↗

Paroxysmal complete heart block due to bradycardia-dependent "phase 4" fascicular block in a patient with sinus node dysfunction and bifascicular block.

A 34-year-old man with ankylosing spondylitis was admitted to the hospital because of syncopal attacks and heart block. Standard ECG, telemetry and an invasive electrophysiologic examination demonstrated right bundle branch block with left anterior fascicular block, sinus node dysfunction with spontaneous slowing of the sinus rate and, as a result, complete infrahisian atrioventricular block in the remaining fascicle at sinus rates below 57 beats per minute. Infrequent supraventricular extrasystoles and abruptly terminated atrial pacing led to the same result. Atrioventricular conduction resumed after three-to-four blocked atrial impulses with successively increasing rate. Pacemaker treatment provided complete symptomatic relief.

Adams-Stokes Syndrome↗

Complete heart block in HLA B27 associated disease. Electrophysiological and clinical characteristics.

A genetic predisposition associated with HLA B27 for developing complete heart block with or without clinical or radiological signs of associated rheumatic disease has recently been found. In this electrophysiological study of 12 patients with spontaneous complete heart block and HLA B27 associated disease, of whom eight had ankylosing spondylitis, 10 had suprahisian second or third degree atrioventricular block (eight spontaneously and two during atrial pacing at rates below 90 impulses per minute) and one infrahisian block. One patient with narrow QRS complexes during complete heart block three months earlier had normal findings. Three patients also had sinus node malfunction and six had fascicular or bundle branch block. In HLA B27 associated disease the atrioventricular block seems to be preferentially located in the atrioventricular node, although the conduction system may be widely affected. The findings in this study indicate a further cause of high degree atrioventricular block with a predominantly suprahisian location in addition to acute inferior myocardial infarction, digitalis intoxication, and "congenital" heart block.

Adult↗

Pacemaker dependence in patients with bifascicular block during acute anterior myocardial infarction.

Eleven patients with bifascicular block complicating anteroseptal acute myocardial infarction were studied to determine the effect of prophylactic permanent pacing; eight of them also had transient high grade atrioventricular block during the acute phase of the infarction. One month after the infarction an electrophysiological study was performed and a bradycardia indicating pacemaker implanted. All the patients were followed for two years. Six had bradycardia detected, two of whom did not have high grade atrioventricular block during the index infarction. Seven patients died, four of them suddenly. There was no correlation between the electrophysiological findings and subsequent development of bradycardia. Thus pacemaker dependence seems to be common in patients with bifascicular block complicating acute myocardial infarction. Mortality is, however, also high in patients treated with pacemakers. Prospective studies to determine the predictive factors in those patients with an anterior acute myocardial infarction and who benefit from a combination of permanent pacemaker treatment and antiarrhythmic treatment are needed.

Aged↗

HLA B27-associated rheumatic diseases with severe cardiac bradyarrhythmias. Clinical features and prevalence in 223 men with permanent pacemakers.

A 15-fold increase in the prevalence of ankylosing spondylitis in a group of 223 men with permanent cardiac pacemakers has recently been demonstrated. In this study of the same patient group, the prevalence of other related rheumatic syndromes was investigated by clinical examination and HLA typing. The clinical picture and electrocardiographic features of all patients with HLA B27-associated rheumatic disease (seronegative spondarthritis) were analyzed. Altogether 28 patients, 12.6 percent (95 percent confidence limits: 8.2 to 17.0 percent), fulfilled inclusion criteria for seronegative spondarthritides; 15 had ankylosing spondylitis. The seronegative spondarthritides previously had been diagnosed in less than 50 percent of the patients. Twenty-two (85 percent) of the 26 HLA-typed patients were B27-positive, implying a very strong association with this genetically determined cell surface protein. Patients with severe bradyarrhythmias associated with the seronegative spondarthritides were thus found to constitute a large proportion of the 223 men with permanent pacemakers. A high frequency of aortic regurgitation and all kinds of bradyarrhythmias were found. Twenty patients had complete heart block--in a majority, occurring intermittently, but otherwise without distinguishing features.

Aortic Valve Insufficiency↗

Complete heart block--another HLA B27 associated disease manifestation.

An increased prevalence of ankylosing spondylitis and other HLA B27-associated rheumatic diseases has recently been demonstrated in a group of men with permanent pacemaker-treatment. The purpose of the present study was to find out if HLA B27 was associated with severe bradyarrhythmias also in the absence of rheumatic disease. The frequency of B27 was determined in 83 permanently paced men with complete heart block, in whom presence of radiological or clinical signs of a B27-associated rheumatic disease had been excluded. Eighty-four healthy subjects were HLA typed for comparison. HLA B27 was found in 17% of the patients and in 6% of the controls, a significant difference with P = 0.017 (Fisher's exact test). The present study suggests that, in a subgroup of patients with complete heart block, the development of heart block is B27-associated, and that the pathophysiological mechanism is similar to that leading to ankylosing spondylitis. Another B27-associated disease manifestation has been demonstrated.

Adolescent↗

Ankylosing spondylitis: an important cause of severe disturbances of the cardiac conduction system. Prevalence among 223 pacemaker-treated men.

The cause of severe disturbances of the cardiac conduction system is seldom possible to establish clinically at pacemaker implantation, apart from cases of acute myocardial infarction or digitalis intoxication and in relatively rare cases of inflammatory disorders such as sarcoidosis and systemic sclerosis. Since cardiac manifestations, mainly conduction disturbances, occur in patients with ankylosing spondylitis, the prevalence of this disease was determined using radiologic screening for sacroiliitis in a population of 223 men who had permanently implanted pacemakers. Sacroiliitis was found in 19 men (8.5 percent), 15 of whom fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for ankylosing spondylitis. In six patients, sacroiliitis was asymptomatic and two of the patients were completely free of symptoms other than those originating from their heart manifestations. In seven of the 15 patients with ankylosing spondylitis and in the four patients with sacroiliitis without clinical criteria of ankylosing spondylitis, the diagnosis was previously unknown. Uveitis and aortic regurgitation occurred in five patients each, while peripheral arthritis was twice as common. The prevalence of sacroiliitis and ankylosing spondylitis of 8.5 and 6.7 percent, respectively, differ significantly (p less than 0.01) from the frequencies found in general Caucasian populations of 1 to 2 and 0.1 to 0.5 percent, respectively. HLA B27 was present in more than 80 percent of the patients with sacroiliitis and/or ankylosing spondylitis, compared with 8 to 10 percent in the general population. This strong association is in accordance with previous studies of patients with symptomatic sacroiliitis and/or ankylosing spondylitis. Thus sacroiliitis, diagnosed by x-ray, can be considered a marker for this relatively common rheumatic cause of severe disturbances of the cardiac conduction system.

Adolescent↗

Prevalence of cardiac conduction disturbances during carbamazepine treatment: preliminary data.

Twenty-five epileptic patients chronically treated with carbamazepine underwent 24 h electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring in order to evaluate the prevalence of cardiac conduction abnormalities. Plasma levels of carbamazepine and its metabolite, carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide, were determined by liquid chromatography. Six patients had mild ECG abnormalities. These patients did not differ from the others with respect to plasma concentrations of the drug and its metabolite.

Adult↗