Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7fkt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-30T20:07:42.875Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Extreme hyperthermia-induced arrhythmogenesis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 September 2021

Tripat Kaur
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Comer Children’s Hospital, Chicago, IL, USA
Chenni S. Sriram
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Central Michigan University, Detroit, MI, USA
Utkarsh Kohli*
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Comer Children’s Hospital, Chicago, IL, USA The Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, West Virginia University Children’s Hospital, Morgantown, WV, USA West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, USA
*
Author for correspondence: U. Kohli, MD, Section of Pediatric Cardiology, WVU Children’s Hospital, Health Science Center North, PO Box 9214, Morgantown, WV 26506-9214, USA. Tel: 304-293-1419; Fax: 304-293-1409. E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

Abstract

Hyperthermia is defined as an elevated body temperature above the normal range due to a failure of heat regulatory mechanisms. In addition to its effects on other organ systems, hyperthermia is associated with profound cardiovascular effects. We report the sentinel case of a 6-year-old girl with structurally and electrically normal heart, who presented with life-threatening hyperpyrexia-induced ventricular tachycardia, which was refractory to cardioversion and anti-arrhythmics but responded promptly to cooling. We emphasise the lifesaving role of immediate and aggressive cooling in such patients.

Type
Brief Report
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Paul, A, Alex, R, Jacob, JR, Yadav, B. Effects of heat stroke on surface ECG: a study on clinical outcomes. Heart Asia 2019; 11: e011221.10.1136/heartasia-2019-011221CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Barlogie, B, Corry, PM, Yip, E, et al. Total-body hyperthermia with and without chemotherapy for advanced human neoplasms. Cancer Res 1979; 39: 14811489.Google ScholarPubMed
Shimada, M, Tsai, B, Marshall, JP. A case of heatstroke complicated by persistent ventricular tachycardia. J Emerg Med 2015; 48: 3134.10.1016/j.jemermed.2014.07.032CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yamazaki, F, Sagawa, S, Torii, R, EndoY, Shiraki, K. Effects of acute hyperthermia on the carotid baroreflex control of heart rate in humans. Int J Biometeorol 1997; 40: 200205.10.1007/s004840050042CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Crandall, CG, Wilson, TE, Marving, J, et al. Effects of passive heating on central blood volume and ventricular dimensions in humans. J Physiol 2008; 586: 293301.10.1113/jphysiol.2007.143057CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brothers, RM, Bhella, PS, Shibata, S, et al. Cardiac systolic and diastolic function during whole body heat stress. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2009; 296: H1150H1156.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fenoglio, JJ Jr, Irey, NS. Myocardial changes in malignant hyperthermia. Am J Pathol 1977; 89: 5158.Google ScholarPubMed
Overgaard, K, Overgaard, J. Investigations on the possibility of a thermic tumour therapy.II. Action of combined heat-roentgen treatment on a transplanted mouse mammary carcinoma. Eur J Cancer 1972; 8: 573575.10.1016/0014-2964(72)90111-9CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Akhtar, MJ, Al-Nozha, M, Al-Harthi, S, Nouh, MS. Electrocardiographic abnormalities in patients with heat stroke. Chest 1993; 104: 411414.10.1378/chest.104.2.411CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nagatomo, T, Fan, Z, Ye, B, et al. Temperature dependence of early and late currents in human cardiac wild-type and long Q-T DeltaKPQ Na+ channels. Am J Physiol 1998; 275: H20162024.Google ScholarPubMed
Adler, A, Topaz, G, Heller, K, et al. Fever-induced Brugada pattern: How common is it and what does it mean? Heart Rhythm 2013; 10: 13751382. DOI 10.1016/j.hrthm.2013.07.030.10.1016/j.hrthm.2013.07.030CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dumaine, R, Towbin, JA, Brugada, P, et al. Ionic mechanisms responsible for the electrocardiographic phenotype of the Brugada syndrome are temperature dependent. Circ Res 1999; 85: 803809.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Keller, DI, Rougier, JS, Kucera, JP, et al. Brugada syndrome and fever: genetic and molecular characterization of patients carrying SCN5A mutations. Cardiovasc Res 2005; 67: 510519.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chen, WT, Lin, CH, Hsieh, MH, Huang, CY, Yeh, JS. Stress-induced cardiomyopathy caused by heat stroke. Ann Emerg Med 2012; 60: 6366.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
García-Rubira, JC, Aguilar, J, Romero, D. Acute myocardial infarction in a young man after heat exhaustion. Int J Cardiol 1995; 47: 297300.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Antzelevitch, C, Brugada, R. Fever and Brugada syndrome. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol 2002; 25: 15371539.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed