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[Acute atrio-ventricular block in sickle cell anemia]
P-H Gacon1, P Jourdain2, N Heba3
1Service de cardiologie clinique et interventionnelle, hôpital Bocage central, CHU de Dijon, 21079 Dijon cedex, France.
Annales De Cardiologie Et D'Angeiologie
|October 1, 2014
Summary
Sickle cell disease can cause temporary atrio ventricular block in Black patients. Promptly ruling out sickle cell disease is crucial for Black individuals presenting with AV block, as it can lead to conduction abnormalities.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Hematology
Context:
- Sickle cell disease (SCD) disproportionately affects individuals of Black descent.
- Acute myocardial damage during SCD vaso-occlusive crises is reported, but atrio ventricular (AV) block risk is understudied.
Purpose:
- To investigate the occurrence and characteristics of acute atrio ventricular block in patients with sickle cell disease.
Summary:
- A survey of ten patients (mean age 39) with SCD experiencing acute AV block revealed transitory conduction abnormalities.
- Common symptoms included asthenia and shortness of breath; four had second-degree and six had third-degree AV block.
- Treatment involved conservative measures, and all AV blocks resolved without pacemaker implantation.
Impact:
- This study represents the largest survey on transitory AV block in SCD patients.
- Findings suggest localized ischemia in the AV node/His bundle area as the cause of conduction defects.
- Highlights the importance of considering SCD in Black patients presenting with AV block.
Keywords:
Acute atrio-ventricular blockAnaemiaAnémieBloc auriculo-ventriculaireDrépanocytoseHaemoglobinopathyHémoglobinopathieSickle cell disesaseMore Related Videos
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