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Case Reports
. 2012 Nov 30:2012:bcr2012006687.
doi: 10.1136/bcr-2012-006687.

Syncope in a patient being treated for hepatic and intestinal amoebiasis

Kavita Yelve  1 , Sanat Phatak, Meenakshi Amit Patil, Amar R Pazare
Affiliations
Case Reports

Syncope in a patient being treated for hepatic and intestinal amoebiasis

Kavita Yelve et al. BMJ Case Rep. .

Abstract

A 63-year-old man presented to our hospital with amoebic liver abscess and was treated successfully for the same. During the course of his treatment, he developed syncopal attacks and was found to have Torsades de Pointes on electrocardiogram. The patient was treated with intravenous magnesium and direct current cardioversion. Hypokalaemia, chloroquine and sepsis were suspected to have precipitated the arrhythmia. The patient remained arrhythmia-free following the correction of these factors.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
ECG on admission showing sinus rhythm and normal axis, with T-wave inversions in frontal leads V2–V4. There was delayed repolarisation with a prolonged corrected QT interval (680 ms).
Figure 2
Figure 2
ECG during syncopal episode showing polymorphic ventricular tachycardia with twisting around the axis.
Figure 3
Figure 3
ECG at discharge showing normalisation of the QT interval to 440 ms and T inversion in leads V1–V4.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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