Why the study?
The effect of influenza on the conduction system has long been thought to be fairly benign, but whether associated changes are transient or permanent remains unknown.
Case Report (n=2)
No
High-grade atrioventricular block can occur as a complication of acute influenza infection and may be either transient or permanent, suggesting watchful waiting may be reasonable in hemodynamically stable patients before permanent pacemaker implantation.
Alerts clinicians to conduction risks in influenza; extends historical reports but remains hypothesis-generating.
Influenza causes cardiac and pulmonary complications that can lead to death. Its effect on the conduction system, first described a century ago, has long been thought to be fairly benign. We report 2 cases of high-grade atrioventricular block associated with acute influenza infection. Both patients-a 50-year-old woman with no history of cardiac disease or conduction abnormalities and a 20-year-old man with a history of complex congenital heart disease and conduction abnormalities-received a permanent pacemaker. In the first case, pacemaker interrogation at 4 months revealed persistent atrioventricular block. In the second case, pacemaker interrogation at 3 months suggested resolution. Whether such influenza-associated changes are transient or permanent remains unknown. We recommend keeping a careful watch on influenza patients with cardiac rhythm abnormalities and monitoring them closely to see if the problem resolves.
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Ergle et al. (2020) conducted a case report in Acute influenza (n=2). Acute influenza infection was evaluated on High-grade atrioventricular block requiring permanent pacemaker.
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