Key result
Prior syncope or aborted sudden death in febrile type 1 Brugada links to 100% adverse outcomes.
Why the study?
A febrile state can provoke a Brugada ECG pattern, but the prognostic value of a fever-induced Brugada ECG pattern remained unclear.
Does clinical presentation (symptomatic vs asymptomatic) predict future arrhythmic events in febrile patients with type 1 Brugada ECG?
Cohort (n=21)
Does clinical presentation (symptomatic vs asymptomatic) predict future arrhythmic events in febrile patients with type 1 Brugada ECG?
Asymptomatic febrile patients with a type 1 Brugada ECG pattern and no family history of sudden death have an exceptionally low long-term risk of arrhythmic events.
Supports symptom-based stratification in febrile type 1 Brugada ECG; leaves open need for prospective validation before guiding decisions.
A febrile state may provoke a Brugada electrocardiogram (ECG) pattern and trigger ventricular tachyarrhythmias in susceptible individuals. However, the prognostic value of fever-induced Brugada ECG pattern remains unclear. We analyzed the clinical and extended long-term follow-up data of consecutive febrile patients with a type 1 Brugada ECG presented to the emergency department. A total of 21 individuals (18 males; mean age, 43.7 ± 18.6 years at diagnosis) were divided into symptomatic (resuscitated cardiac arrest in one, syncope in two) and asymptomatic (18, 86%) groups. Sustained polymorphic ventricular tachycardias were inducible in two patients with previous syncope. All 18 asymptomatic patients had no spontaneous type 1 Brugada ECG recorded at second intercostal space and no family history of sudden death. Among asymptomatic individuals, 4 had a total 12 of repeated non-arrhythmogenic febrile episodes all with recurrent type 1 Brugada ECGs, and none had a ventricular arrhythmic event during 116 ± 19 months of follow-up. In the symptomatic group, two had defibrillator shocks for a new arrhythmic event at 31- and 49 months follow-up, respectively, and one without defibrillator therapy died suddenly at 8 months follow-up. A previous history of aborted sudden death or syncope was significantly associated with adverse outcomes in symptomatic compared with asymptomatic individuals (log-rank p < 0.0001). In conclusion, clinical presentation or history of syncope is the most important parameter in the risk stratification of febrile patients with type 1 Brugada ECG. Asymptomatic individuals with a negative family history of sudden death and without spontaneous type 1 Brugada ECG, have an exceptionally low future risk of arrhythmic events. Careful follow-up with timely and aggressive control of fever is an appropriate management option.
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Tsai et al. (2021) conducted a cohort in Fever-induced type 1 Brugada ECG pattern (n=21). Symptomatic presentation (aborted sudden death or syncope) vs. Asymptomatic presentation was evaluated on Adverse outcomes (ventricular arrhythmic events or sudden death) (p=<0.0001). A history of aborted sudden death or syncope in febrile patients with type 1 Brugada ECG was associated with higher adverse outcomes compared to asymptomatic individuals (100% vs 0%; p<0.0001).
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