Myocardial Biopsy In "Idiopathic» Atrial Fibrillation And Other Arrhythmias: Nosological Diagnosis, Clinical And Morphological Parallels, And Treatment.

BACKGROUND

The nosological nature of "idiopathic" arrhythmias and the effect of etiotropic and pathogenetic treatment are often unknown.

METHODS AND RESULTS

19 patients (42.6±11.3 years, 9 women) with atrial fibrillation (n = 16), supraventricular (n = 10) and ventricular (n = 4) premature beats, supraventricular (n = 2) and ventricular tachycardia (n = 1), left bundle branch block (n= 2), AV block (n = 2) without structural heart changes. Viruses were identified (polymerase chain reaction, PCR) along with measurement of anti-heart antibodies (AHA) and endomyocardial biopsy (EMB). EMB allowed to establish diagnosis in all patients: infectious-immune myocarditis (n = 11, parvovirus-positive in 1),parvovirus-positive endomyocarditis (n = 1),systemic (n = 2) and myocardial (n = 1) vasculitis,Fabry's disease (n = 1), arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (n = 1),unspecified genetic cardiomyopathy (n = 2, herpes virus 6 one positive). Level of AHA had the greatest significance for myocarditis diagnostics. All patients with myocarditis/vasculitis had background therapy: acyclovir (n = 10), IV immunoglobulin (n = 2), meloxicam (n = 12), hydroxychloroquine (n = 15), steroids (n = 14, 31.1±12.5 mg/day), azathioprine 150 mg/day (n = 2). Median follow-up was 4 years. Treatment significantly reduced the rate of arrhythmias (8 [5;8] to 3 [1.25;7.75] points); disappearance of bundle branch block was noted.

CONCLUSION

EMB allowed to diagnose immune-mediated inflammatory diseases in 78.9% patients with 'idiopathic' arrhythmias and genetic diseases in 21.1%. Background therapy of myocarditis improved the antiarrhythmic efficiency, and allowed the best premed for interventional treatment.