Charlotte Glinge1,2, Reza Jabbari1,2, Bjarke Risgaard1,2, Thomas Hadberg Lynge1,2, Thomas Engstrøm3, Christine M Albert4, Stig Haunsø1,2,3, Bo Gregers Winkel1,2,3, Jacob Tfelt-Hansen1,2,3. 1. Danish National Research Foundation Centre for Cardiac Arrhythmia (DARC), University of Copenhagen, Denmark. 2. Laboratory of Molecular Cardiology, Department of Cardiology, The Heart Centre, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark. 3. Department of Medicine and Surgery, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark. 4. Center for Arrhythmia Prevention, Division of Preventive Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: No studies in an unselected and nationwide setting have characterized the symptoms and medical history of patients with sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS). The aim of this study was to identify and describe the symptoms and medical history of patients before the presentation of SADS. METHODS AND RESULTS: We have previously identified all of the autopsied sudden cardiac deaths (SCD; n = 314) in Danes aged 1-35 years between 2000 and 2006. After comprehensive pathological and toxicological investigation did not reveal a cause of SCD, 136 of the patients were identified as SADS. The National Patient Registry was utilized to obtain information on all in- and outpatient activity in Danish hospitals. All medical records from hospitals and general practitioners, including death certificates and autopsy reports were reviewed. Before death, 48 (35%) SADS patients had cardiac symptoms; among these, 30 (22%) had contacted the healthcare system. Antecedent symptoms (symptoms >24 hours before death) were present in 34 (25%) patients. Prodromal symptoms (symptoms ≤24 hours before death) were present in 23 (17%) patients. Cardiac symptoms included chest pain (n = 16, 12%), dyspnea (n = 18, 13%), palpitations (n = 2, 1%), presyncope/syncope (n = 23, 17%), and aborted SCD (n = 2, 1%). In addition, seizures (n = 25, 18%) were prevalent. In 61 (45%) SADS cases, no previous medical history were recorded. CONCLUSION: In this unselected, nationwide study of 136 young SADS patients, 35% had experienced cardiac symptoms before death, most commonly presyncope/syncope, but only one out of five had contacted a healthcare provider with cardiac symptoms.
INTRODUCTION: No studies in an unselected and nationwide setting have characterized the symptoms and medical history of patients with sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS). The aim of this study was to identify and describe the symptoms and medical history of patients before the presentation of SADS. METHODS AND RESULTS: We have previously identified all of the autopsied sudden cardiac deaths (SCD; n = 314) in Danes aged 1-35 years between 2000 and 2006. After comprehensive pathological and toxicological investigation did not reveal a cause of SCD, 136 of the patients were identified as SADS. The National Patient Registry was utilized to obtain information on all in- and outpatient activity in Danish hospitals. All medical records from hospitals and general practitioners, including death certificates and autopsy reports were reviewed. Before death, 48 (35%) SADS patients had cardiac symptoms; among these, 30 (22%) had contacted the healthcare system. Antecedent symptoms (symptoms >24 hours before death) were present in 34 (25%) patients. Prodromal symptoms (symptoms ≤24 hours before death) were present in 23 (17%) patients. Cardiac symptoms included chest pain (n = 16, 12%), dyspnea (n = 18, 13%), palpitations (n = 2, 1%), presyncope/syncope (n = 23, 17%), and aborted SCD (n = 2, 1%). In addition, seizures (n = 25, 18%) were prevalent. In 61 (45%) SADS cases, no previous medical history were recorded. CONCLUSION: In this unselected, nationwide study of 136 young SADS patients, 35% had experienced cardiac symptoms before death, most commonly presyncope/syncope, but only one out of five had contacted a healthcare provider with cardiac symptoms.
Authors: Martin K Stiles; Arthur A M Wilde; Dominic J Abrams; Michael J Ackerman; Christine M Albert; Elijah R Behr; Sumeet S Chugh; Martina C Cornel; Karen Gardner; Jodie Ingles; Cynthia A James; Jyh-Ming Jimmy Juang; Stefan Kääb; Elizabeth S Kaufman; Andrew D Krahn; Steven A Lubitz; Heather MacLeod; Carlos A Morillo; Koonlawee Nademanee; Vincent Probst; Elizabeth V Saarel; Luciana Sacilotto; Christopher Semsarian; Mary N Sheppard; Wataru Shimizu; Jonathan R Skinner; Jacob Tfelt-Hansen; Dao Wu Wang Journal: Heart Rhythm Date: 2020-10-19 Impact factor: 6.343
Authors: Martin K Stiles; Arthur A M Wilde; Dominic J Abrams; Michael J Ackerman; Christine M Albert; Elijah R Behr; Sumeet S Chugh; Martina C Cornel; Karen Gardner; Jodie Ingles; Cynthia A James; Jyh-Ming Jimmy Juang; Stefan Kääb; Elizabeth S Kaufman; Andrew D Krahn; Steven A Lubitz; Heather MacLeod; Carlos A Morillo; Koonlawee Nademanee; Vincent Probst; Elizabeth V Saarel; Luciana Sacilotto; Christopher Semsarian; Mary N Sheppard; Wataru Shimizu; Jonathan R Skinner; Jacob Tfelt-Hansen; Dao Wu Wang Journal: J Arrhythm Date: 2021-04-08
Authors: Charlotte Glinge; Thomas Engstrøm; Sofie E Midgley; Michael W T Tanck; Jeppe Ekstrand Halkjær Madsen; Frants Pedersen; Mia Ravn Jacobsen; Elisabeth M Lodder; Nour R Al-Hussainy; Niels Kjær Stampe; Ramona Trebbien; Lars Køber; Thomas Gerds; Christian Torp-Pedersen; Thea K Fischer; Connie R Bezzina; Jacob Tfelt-Hansen; Reza Jabbari Journal: PLoS One Date: 2020-02-26 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Katra Hadji-Turdeghal; Laura Andreasen; Christian M Hagen; Gustav Ahlberg; Jonas Ghouse; Marie Bækvad-Hansen; Jonas Bybjerg-Grauholm; David M Hougaard; Paula Hedley; Stig Haunsø; Jesper H Svendsen; Jørgen K Kanters; Thomas A Jepps; Morten W Skov; Michael Christiansen; Morten S Olesen Journal: Cardiovasc Res Date: 2020-01-01 Impact factor: 10.787