Outcomes of symptomatic Brugada syndrome patients with implanted cardioverter defibrillators: A report from an endemic area

Abstract

Background: In Thailand and Southeast Asia, Brugada syndrome (BS) is a common inheritable cause of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) due to polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF). Currently, an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is the recommended therapy for high-risk patients. This study aimed to report the outcomes of symptomatic BS patients with implanted ICD in an area in which BS is endemic. Methods and results: We enrolled symptomatic BS patients who underwent ICD implantation between 2007 and 2010. In total, 62 patients met the study inclusion criteria. Among these patients, ICD was indicated for survivors of SCA (50 patients, 80%) and syncope patients (12 patients, 20%). During the mean follow-up period of 17 months, no patient died, and 20 patients (32%) received appropriate shock therapy. Inappropriate shock occurred in 6 patients (9.5%). The reasons for inappropriate shock were ICD lead fracture (3%) and supraventricular arrhythmia (6.5%). An infected ICD was found in 1 patient (1.5%). Conclusions: The recurrent VT/VF rate in symptomatic BS patients was 32%. All events were successfully treated with ICDs, and there was no mortality in our setting.

Keywords

• Brugada syndrome
• Clinical outcomes
• Symptomatic