Dermatomyositis and supraventricular tachycardia.

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Cardiology
• Internal Medicine

Background:

• Dermatomyositis is a rare idiopathic inflammatory myopathy, affecting approximately 1 in 100,000 people.
• It is often associated with underlying malignancy, and cardiac involvement is uncommon.
• Cardiac arrhythmias are a known, though rare, complication of dermatomyositis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a case of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia in a young female with dermatomyositis.
• To emphasize the importance of cardiac monitoring in dermatomyositis patients with palpitations.

Main Methods:

• Case report of a young female with a history of dermatomyositis presenting with palpitations.
• Telemetry monitoring revealed episodes of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia.

Main Results:

• The patient experienced paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia with heart rates up to 220 bpm.
• This demonstrates a rare cardiac manifestation of dermatomyositis.

Conclusions:

• Cardiac involvement in dermatomyositis, while rare, is a recognized clinical entity.
• Palpitations in dermatomyositis patients warrant Holter monitoring and prompt arrhythmia management.