A case series of patients with poorly-tolerated arrhythmias related to a preexcitation syndrome and presenting with atypical ECG

Abstract

The aim of study was to report different and unusual patterns of preexcitation syndrome (PS) noted in patients referred for studied for poorly-tolerated arrhythmias and their frequency. Electrophysiologic study (EPS) is an easy means to identify a patient with PS at risk of serious events. However the main basis for this diagnosis is the ECG which associates short PR interval and widening of QRS complex with a delta wave. MethodsECGs of 861 patients in whom PS related to an atrioventricular accessory pathway (AP) was identified at electrophysiological study (EPS), were studied. ResultsThe most frequent unusual presentation (9.6%) was the PS presenting with a normal or near normal ECG, noted preferentially for left lateral AP and rarely for posteroseptal or right lateral location. More exceptional (0.1%) was the presence of a long PR interval, which did not exclude a rapid conduction over AP. The association of a complete AV block with symptomatic tachycardias was exceptional (0.3%) and was shown related to a rapid conduction over AP after isoproterenol. Most of the presented patients were at high-risk at EPS. ConclusionThe diagnosis of PS is not always evident and symptoms should draw attention to minor abnormalities and lead to enlarge indications of EPS, only means to confirm or not PS.