[Development of persistent atrial paralysis secondary to acute leukemia]

The authors report a further well-documented case of long-standing atrial palsy, which they feel should be called "persistant" rather than "permanent", as "specific" treatment seems to have been responsible for its regression after about two and a half months. The case was one of atrial palsy with leukaemic infiltration of the auricles (acute leukaemia with paramyeloblasts), an aetiology without precedent in the published literature. Treatment with corticosteroids and antimitotic drugs resulted simultaneously in remission of the leukaemia and conversion to atrial fibrillation. Remission of the dysrhythmia is probably attributable to the specific treatment of the underlying pathology, which makes this case so unusual.