Left cardiac sympathetic denervation in children with Jervell Lange-Nielsen syndrome and drug refractory torsades - A case series.

Abstract

Long QT syndrome is an inherited malignant channelopathy which leads to life-threatening arrhythmia, with multiple genotypes. Jervell and Lange-Nielsen syndrome (JLNS) is an autosomal recessive subtype of this disease, characterized by congenital sensorineural deafness and a high incidence of sudden cardiac death (SCD). We prospectively followed up six children who underwent left cardiac sympathetic denervation (LCSD) for JLNS in view of high-risk features despite being on maximally tolerated doses of oral propranolol. Mean age at diagnosis was 2.75±0.39 years, with a significant delay between onset of symptoms and diagnosis (mean 7.2±3.5 months). All had sensorineural hearing loss, conforming to the JLNS phenotype. Mean QTc interval was 603±93ms, with T wave alternans (TWA) seen in all cases. All were started on propranolol and subsequently subjected to LCSD, and 3 underwent AAI permanent pacemaker implantation. Over a mean follow-up of 20 months, there was a significant reduction in QTc (603±93ms to 501±33ms, p=.04), which was persistent on follow-up (525±41ms) and only two out of six had persistent T wave alternans on ECG (p<.01). None of these children had presyncope, syncope, seizures, torsades de pointes, cardiac arrest or death on follow up following LCSD. Jervell Lange-Nielsen syndrome is a subtype of LQTS with high-risk features. LCSD, an effective therapeutic option for those having symptoms despite being on propranolol, results in significant reduction of QTc interval and amelioration of symptoms.