[The etiological aspects of the sick sinus syndrome]

A clinico-genetic study of sick sinus syndrome in Krasnoyarsk population established its prevalence as 0.296%. The disease affected females more frequently than males. The highest morbidity was registered at the age 60-69. Genetic evaluation demonstrated high hereditary predisposition to the syndrome as it developed in 60 out of 309 (19.4%) relatives of the patients, the inheritance being autosomal dominant and in part sex-limited. Females predominated among the disease-affected relatives and among those whose relatives had the syndrome. The syndrome is also age-related. The authors discuss the role of ischemic heart disease in the origin of sick sinus syndrome.