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Sudden cardiac death caused by coronary vasculitis
Katsuya Norita1, Sofia V de Noronha, Mary N Sheppard
1Imperial College London, London, UK.
Virchows Archiv : an International Journal of Pathology
|February 7, 2012
Summary
Coronary vasculitis is a rare cause of sudden cardiac death (SCD). Pathologists must recognize its varied presentations to improve diagnosis of this challenging condition.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Pathology
- Rheumatology
- Forensic Pathology
Background:
- Coronary vasculitis is an uncommon cause of sudden cardiac death (SCD).
- Limited large-scale data exists on this rare condition.
- Diagnostic challenges are associated with identifying coronary vasculitis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the characteristics of sudden cardiac death (SCD) attributed to coronary vasculitis.
- To describe the pathological findings in cases of SCD with coronary vasculitis.
- To raise awareness among pathologists regarding this rare cause of SCD.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective observational study of sudden cardiac death (SCD) cases.
- Analysis of cases referred to a tertiary cardiac pathology referral center (1996-2010).
- Review of 1,980 SCD cases to identify those with coronary vasculitis.
Main Results:
- Ten cases (0.5%) of SCD with coronary vasculitis were identified.
- The median age of affected individuals was 39 years (range 15-71).
- Presentations included coronary artery aneurysms, occlusive lesions, and masses; types were eosinophilic (5), lymphoplasmacytic (4), and giant cell arteritis (1).
Conclusions:
- Coronary vasculitis is a rare but significant cause of sudden cardiac death (SCD).
- The macroscopic and microscopic appearances of coronary vasculitis are variable.
- Pathologists require awareness of these varied presentations for accurate diagnosis.
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