Lyme Borreliosis as Cause of Myocarditis: A Case Report and a Review of the Literature

lyme borreliosis (LB) is the most common tick-born disease in the Northern Hemisphere. During early disseminated Lyme disease, cardiac manifestation can occur. including acute conduction disorders, atrioventricular block, acute myopericarditis or left ventricular dysfunction and rarely cardiomegaly or fatal pericarditis. We report a case of a patient with isolated Lyme myocarditis manifested by acute heart failure with atrial fibrillation and review of the literature on the subject. The interested of this case report is to show the need to acquire the reflex to think about a lyme carditis when patients in endemic areas come to attention with cardiovasculair symtoms, even in the absence of others concurerenr clinical manifestations of early lyme disease.

ОПИС КЛІНІЧНОГО ВИПАДКУ ЛАЙМ-КАРДИТУ

Мета роботи – на прикладі клінічного випадку Лайм-кардиту продемонструвати особливості діагностичного процесу з визначенням факторів ризику, клінічних і ЕКГ-змін, важливість своєчасної верифікації діагнозу і проведення етіотропної терапії. У пацієнта виявлені складні порушення ритму та провідності: AV-блокада І ст., транзиторні AV-блокада ІІ (Мобітц 2) та ІІІ ступенів, політопна екстрасистолія. Дані лабораторних обстежень пацієнта свідчили про підвищення маркерів запалення (підвищення рівнів СРП, тропоніну та ШОЕ). Для оцінки ймовірності бореліозної етіології міокардиту проведене анкетування за шкалою SILC (Suspicious Index in Lyme Carditis) – 8 балів, що вказує на високий ризик Лайм-кардиту, серологічне обстеження. Блот-аналіз підтвердив наявність антитіл IgG до Borrelia burgdorferi. Завдяки своєчасній діагностиці, в тому числі серологічній, Лайм-кардиту і призначеному відповідному етіотропному антибактеріальному лікуванню доксицикліном впродовж 21 дня, у хворого було досягнуто як суттєвого клінічного покращення, так і позитивної ЕКГ-динаміки з покращенням AV-провідності.

Incidence of carditis and predictors of pacemaker implantation in patients hospitalized with Lyme disease

Background Lyme carditis, defined as direct infection of cardiac tissue by Borrelia bacteria, affects up to 10% of patients with Lyme disease. The most frequently reported clinical manifestation of Lyme carditis is cardiac conduction system disease. The goal of this study was to identify the incidence and predictors of permanent pacemaker implantation in patients hospitalized with Lyme disease. Methods A retrospective cohort analysis of the Nationwide Inpatient sample was performed to identify patients hospitalized with Lyme disease in the US between 2003 and 2014. Patients with Lyme carditis were defined as those hospitalized with Lyme disease who also had cardiac conduction disease, acute myocarditis, or acute pericarditis. Patients who already had pacemaker implants at the time of hospitalization (N = 310) were excluded from the Lyme carditis subgroup. The primary study outcome was permanent pacemaker implantation. Secondary outcomes included temporary cardiac pacing, permanent pacemaker implant, and in-hospital mortality. Results Of the 96,140 patients hospitalized with Lyme disease during the study period, 10,465 (11%) presented with Lyme carditis. Cardiac conduction system disease was present in 9,729 (93%) of patients with Lyme carditis. Permanent pacemaker implantation was performed in 1,033 patients (1% of all Lyme hospitalizations and 11% of patients with Lyme carditis-associated conduction system disease). Predictors of permanent pacemaker implantation included older age (OR: 1.06 per 1 year; 95% CI:1.05–1.07; P<0.001), complete heart block (OR: 21.5; 95% CI: 12.9–35.7; P<0.001), and sinoatrial node dysfunction (OR: 16.8; 95% CI: 8.7–32.6; P<0.001). In-hospital mortality rate was higher in patients with Lyme carditis (1.5%) than in patients without Lyme carditis (0.5%). Conclusions Approximately 11% of patients hospitalized with Lyme disease present with carditis, primarily in the form of cardiac conduction system disease. In this 12-year study, 1% of all hospitalized patients and 11% of those with Lyme-associated cardiac conduction system disease underwent permanent pacemaker implantation.

Lyme Carditis With Complete Heart Block Successfully Treated With Oral Doxycycline

ABSTRACT Lyme disease is a vector-borne infection that can affect multiple different organ systems. Lyme carditis represents one of these sequelae and is defined by acute onset of high-grade atrioventricular block in the presence of laboratory-confirmed infection. Current guidelines recommend patients with Lyme carditis be admitted for close cardiac monitoring and intravenous antibiotics therapy. Our case illustrates an active duty male who was initially diagnosed with Lyme disease after initially reporting symptoms including headache, fever, eye pain, and rash, with subsequent development of exercise intolerance 6 weeks later. An electrocardiogram (ECG) obtained at that time was misinterpreted as first-degree heart block, and he was initiated on oral doxycycline therapy and referred to cardiology. On follow-up to cardiology clinic, the prior ECG was reviewed and interpreted as complete heart block. A repeat ECG showed resolution of the heart block, and exercise stress testing showed chronotropic competence. This case illustrates the resolution of complete heart block in Lyme carditis with oral doxycycline, suggesting this antibiotic as a possible alternative treatment agent.

A rare and reversible cause of third-degree atrioventricular block: a case report

Background Cardiac involvement of Lyme disease (LD) typically results in atrioventricular (AV) conduction disturbance, mainly third-degree AV block. Case summary A 54-year-old patient presented to our emergency department due to recurrent syncope. Third-degree AV block with a ventricular escape rhythm (33 b.p.m.) was identified as the underlying rhythm. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) was normal. To rule out common reversible causes of complete AV block, a screening test for Lyme borreliosis was carried out. Elevated levels for borrelia IgG/IgM were found and confirmed by western blot analysis. Lyme carditis (LC) was postulated as the most likely cause of the third-degree AV block given the young age of the patient. Initiation of antibiotic therapy with ceftriaxone resulted in a gradual normalization of the AV conduction with stable first-degree AV block on Day 6 of therapy. The patient was changed on oral antibiotics (doxycycline) and discharged without a pacemaker. After 3 months, the AV conduction recovered to normal. Discussion Lyme carditis should always be considered, particularly in younger patients with new-onset AV block and without evidence of structural heart disease. Atrioventricular block recovers in the majority of cases after appropriate antibiotic treatment.