[Clues of an underlying organic substrate in the Brugada Syndrome]

Role of Provocable Brugada ECG Pattern in The Correct Risk Stratification for Major Arrhythmic Events

The so-called Brugada syndrome (BS), first called precordial early repolarization syndrome (PERS), is characterized by the association of a fascinating electrocardiographic pattern, namely an aspect resembling right bundle branch block with a coved and sometime upsloping ST segment elevation in the precordial leads, and major ventricular arrhythmic events that could rarely lead to sudden death. Its electrogenesis has been related to a conduction delay mostly, but not only, located on the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT), probably due to a progressive fibrosis of the conduction system. Many tests have been proposed to identify people at risk of sudden death and, among all, ajmaline challenge, thanks to its ability to enhance latent conduction defects, became so popular, even if its role is still controversial as it is neither specific nor sensitive enough to guide further invasive investigations and managements. Interestingly, a type 1 pattern has also been induced in many other cardiac diseases or systemic diseases with a cardiac involvement, such as long QT syndrome (LQTS), arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and myotonic dystrophy, without any clear arrhythmic risk profile. Evidence-based studies clearly showed that a positive ajmaline test does not provide any additional information on the risk stratification for major ventricular arrhythmic events on asymptomatic individuals with a non-diagnostic Brugada ECG pattern.

Diagnostic challenges of Brugada Syndrome in pediatric patients

Although most cases of Brugada syndrome have been described in adults, pediatric patients with the disease have been reported since the original article from Josep and Pedro Brugada. Herein is presented the case series of Brugada syndrome in pediatric population of the National Institute of Cardiology Ignacio Chavez. One boy and two adolescent males had palpitations as clinical presentation of the disease. Atrial arrhythmias were documented in two, in the third case there was a high clinical suspicion and quinidine abolished symptoms. The aim of this report is to highlight the importance of performing a detailed clinical history as well as the usefulness of high precordial leads for the diagnosis of this entity.