[Lyme carditis and symptomatic sinus node dysfunction]

Abstract

Lyme carditis is typically associated with AV nodal conduction abnormalities. We describe the case of a 66 year old female patient, who experienced a series of syncopal attacks after several tick bites two weeks earlier. ECG monitoring revealed recurrent sinus arrest with a maximum pause duration of 8 seconds. After institution of antibiotic therapy for Lyme carditis, sinus node dysfunction resolved rapidly and the patient had no further syncopes. Pacemaker implantation was not necessary. We therefore have to assume that in this patient Lyme carditis was the cause of symptomatic sinus node dysfunction.