[Short coupled variant of torsade de pointes: our experience and review of the literature].

We present three cases of short-coupled variant of torsade de pointes with review of the literature. These women presented with syncope or presyncope due to torsade de pointes initiated by a short-coupled premature ventricular beat and without evidence of prolonged QT. There were no electrolyte disturbances in all cases, no apparent structural heart disease in two cases and a mild interventricular septum hypertrophy in the other case. One patient took spiramycin and metronidazole and another was taking pheniramin and lincomycin without any evidence of cause to effect relationship. One patient responded to verapamil but died suddendly after 44 months of follow-up. The two others recieved implantable cardioverter-defibrillators and verapamil per os. They still alive 46 and 54 months later. Short-coupled variant of torsade de pointes have a high incidence of sudden death, so it is very important for physicians to identify and treat it promptly. Long-term verapamil treatement is effective but still insufficient and patients should be considered for implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy.