Presentation
We present a case report of 46-year-old man with no medical history, who complained of extreme fatigue, near-syncope, and palpitations. He initially presented in complete heart block. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Entire Body System
- Malaise
We describe the case of a 37-year-old Caucasian man with a 1-month history of fevers, rash, and malaise who died unexpectedly on the day after he underwent medical evaluation. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Snapshot A 16-year-old boy presents to his primary care physician with fatigue, malaise, and a rash. His symptoms began approximately 1 week ago and have progressively worsened. [medbullets.com]
The primary symptoms of stage 2 include intermittent arthritis, cranial nerve palsies and radicular symptoms, atrioventricular (AV) nodal block, and severe malaise and fatigue. [empirestatelymediseaseassociation.org]
Summary: A 55-year-old man with progressively worsening generalized malaise, flu-like symptoms, dyspnea on exertion, and near syncope was admitted with bradycardia (heart rate was between 20 and 30 beats per minute upon admission). [journals.sagepub.com]
For example, studies have shown that about 20% of patients with new onset Lyme disease only present with fatigue, muscle and joint pain, headache and malaise. [columbia-lyme.org]
Cardiovascular
- Chest Pain
We report a case of Lyme carditis in an otherwise healthy male, who presented to the Accident & Emergency Department with chest pain, dizziness and generally symptoms indicating ischaemic heart disease. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
When this happens, a patient might faint or experience tightness of the chest. Also, heart failure and chest pains are known to occur. [innatoss.com]
Patients may experience light-headedness, fainting, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, or chest pain. [cdc.gov]
This can cause sharp chest pain that increases with deep breaths or lying down, compared to sitting up. Over time the pericardium can thicken and adhere to the heart muscle. [everydayhealth.com]
Musculoskeletal
- Joint Effusion
effusions knee and shoulder recurrent acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans "cigarette paper" skin dorsum of hands, feet, knees, elbows in older patients Studies Serum labs WBC normal or elevated ESR, CRP elevated ELISA (sensitive, not specific) 2 steps [orthobullets.com]
Workup
Hopefully, the patient gets to the ER quickly, where the ER doctor would perform a cardiac workup and see an aberrant heart rhythm. [bayarealyme.org]
And because of the medical-clinical divide in regard to Lyme disease, insurance covers little to none of her workups and treatment. The disease is debilitating, deflating and downright expensive. [usatoday.com]
Microbiology
- Borrelia Burgdorferi
Keywords Lyme Disease Heart Block Borrelia Burgdorferi Acute Rheumatic Fever Yersinia Enterocolitica These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. [link.springer.com]
Serological examinations revealed increased Borrelia burgdorferi antibody level. Lyme's carditis may be prevented by starting the antibiotic therapy at the time of the chronic erythema migrans. [hungary.pure.elsevier.com]
The Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex comprises: Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto Borrelia afzelii Borrelia garinii Borrelia spielmanii. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
- Bartonella Henselae
Gene sequence comparisons of different genes in B. henselae isolates from the United States and Europe showed that fts Z gene variation is a useful tool for Bartonella genotyping. [empirestatelymediseaseassociation.org]
PR Interval
- Prolonged PR Interval
A repeat ECG showed a first-degree AV block with a markedly prolonged PR interval of greater than 400 ms. Physical exam revealed multiple annular, erythematous, macular lesions with central clearing. (Figures 1 and 2.) [journals.lww.com]
He was noted to possibly have subtle Brugada pattern on EKG with prolonged PR interval of 252ms. A procainamide challenge was equivocal. He was placed on quinidine for suspected Brugada syndrome. [onlinejacc.org]
Blocks
- Third Degree Atrioventricular Block
A 44 year old man with third degree atrioventricular block in Lyme carditis had a temporary decrease in heart rate during resolution of the heart block two days after treatment with antibiotics was started. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
A, ECG at admission showing complete heart block. B, Telemetry demonstrating regression from third-degree atrioventricular block to polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) as the patient began reporting presyncopal symptoms. [ahajournals.org]
block. 4, 12, 18, 19 A study of 105 patients with Lyme carditis reported that 49 percent had third-degree atrioventricular block, 28 percent had some form of second- or first-degree atrioventricular block, and 23 percent had no conduction abnormalities [aafp.org]
- First-Degree Atrioventricular Block
He was admitted and over the course of the next few days, his rhythm regressed to Mobitz type I first-degree atrioventricular block and then to normal sinus rhythm. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Laboratory findings showed elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein, bilateral temporal artery biopsy results were negative and first degree atrioventricular block was seen on electrocardiogram. [pagepress.org]
However, they reported that 98% of adults who develop Lyme carditis will develop first degree atrioventricular block, and 58% of those patients are likely to develop complete heart block. [healio.com]
block. 4, 12, 18, 19 A study of 105 patients with Lyme carditis reported that 49 percent had third-degree atrioventricular block, 28 percent had some form of second- or first-degree atrioventricular block, and 23 percent had no conduction abnormalities [aafp.org]
T Wave
- T Wave Abnormality
This manifests as subtle and nonspecific ST-T wave abnormalities on the ECG. Common symptoms include palpitations, dizziness, shortness of breath, and fatigue. Syncope is not uncommon in those who progress to complete heart block. [journals.lww.com]
Other Pathologies
- Myocardial Fibrosis
It is already possible to diagnose in vivo the presence of myocardial fibrosis (reported in some patients with Lyme carditis) by the use of myocardial biopsy. It has also been shown that therapy will reverse some of this process. [rwjms1.umdnj.edu]
Treatment
In most cases the conduction disturbances are reversed by treatment with antibiotics. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
The progression of Lyme disease can be prevented with proper diagnosis and initial treatment. [pharmacytimes.com]
Lyme carditis—diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2015 ;112(12): 202 - 208. Google Scholar | Medline 9. Wormser, GP, Dattwyler, RJ, Shapiro, ED. [journals.sagepub.com]
Prognosis
The overall prognosis of Lyme carditis seems to be good, although delayed recovery has been described and possible late manifestations have been suggested. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Etiology
Conclusion: Considering Lyme carditis as a differential diagnosis in patients with an AV block of an unknown etiology can result in a timely diagnosis and treatment of Lyme carditis. 1. Forrester, JD, Vakkalanka, JP, Holstege, CP, Mead, PS. [journals.sagepub.com]
Borrelia burgdorferi as an etiologic agent in chronic heart failure? Scandinavian journal of infectious diseases. [on-lyme.org]
[…] migrans neurological symptoms ( e.g., facial nerve palsy, meningitis, and mononeuritis multiplex) cardiac symptoms ( e.g., carditis) late stage arthritis encephalopathy or polyneuropathy Epidemiology incidence most cases in the northeast and upper midwest Etiology [medbullets.com]
Cardiac evaluation was felt to be beneficial in diagnosing the presence of myocarditis and pericarditis both in symptomatic and asymptomatic children.(9) Lyme Disease has been implicated as a possible etiologic agent in dilated cardiomyopathy.(12,13,14 [rwjms1.umdnj.edu]
Anderson. “ Ticks and biting insects infected with the etiologic agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi. ” J Clin Microbiol, 1988, 26 (8): 1482-1486. Steere, A. [emerge.org.au]
Epidemiology
The facts about Lyme disease, from epidemiology to treatment to control Lyme borreliosis, popularly known as Lyme disease, remains the most commonly reported tick-transmitted infection in North America and Europe. [books.google.es]
[…] consultation meeting on Lyme borreliosis surveillance in the European Union held in January 2016 in Stockholm, – having regard to Decision No 2119/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 September 1998 setting up a network for the epidemiological [europarl.europa.eu]
Malawista, Erthema chronicum migrans and Lyme arthritis: Epidemiologic evidence of a tick vector, Am J Epidemiol. 108: 312–321 (1978). PubMed Google Scholar 2. A. Rubin, C. Servera, P. Nikitin, A. McAllister, G.P. Wormser, R. B. [link.springer.com]
Pathophysiology
The exact pathophysiology behind the predominant selection of the cardiac conduction system is unclear since cardiac biopsies are rarely available. [innovationsincrm.com]
8.6 cases/100,000) adults 55-59 (7.8 cases/100,00) geographic locations northeast, midwest, western US (areas with heavy deer population) Maryland to Maine (Ixodes scapularis) Great Lakes region (Ixodes scapularis) Pacific Northwest (Ixodes pacificus) Pathophysiology [orthobullets.com]
1243 Percutaneous Coronary Intervention 1258 Percutaneous Cardiac Procedures 1273 Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery 1290 Approaches to the Patient with Prior Bypass Surgery 1306 Percutaneous Valve Dilatations 1316 Global Pandemic of Heart Failure 1330 Pathophysiology [books.google.es]
By distinguishing subsets of Lyme disease, such as PTLDS, our research program is illuminating the pathophysiology of the illness to improve diagnostics, treatments, and quality of life for patients. [hopkinsarthritis.org]
Better understanding of disease pathophysiology will enable the development of improved diagnostic tests and therapies. [hopkinsrheumatology.org]
Prevention
Atlanta, Georgia. 2 Bacterial Disease Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
The best way to prevent tickborne diseases is to prevent tick bites: PROTECT Avoid areas where ticks live. Use EPA-registered tick repellent on exposed skin. Use permethrin on clothing. Wear pants and long sleeves to keep ticks off your body. [healthvermont.gov]
Lyme's carditis may be prevented by starting the antibiotic therapy at the time of the chronic erythema migrans. Upon medication the patient may recover from the carditis without remaining symptoms. [hungary.pure.elsevier.com]
The diagnosis of Lyme carditis (LC), an early disseminated manifestation of Lyme disease, has important implications for patient management and preventing further extracutaneous complications. [onlinejacc.org]