Clinical characteristics of Brugada syndrome in a Korean population.

The objective of this study was to investigate the clinical features of Korean patients with Brugada syndrome (BS). Between June 1998 and April 2002, 15 consecutive patients with BS (13 men, 2 women; mean age, 44+/-10 years) were identified. Eight patients had experienced at least 1 episode of aborted sudden death, 5 patients had had an episode of syncope or chest pain, and 2 patients were asymptomatic at diagnosis. The electrocardiographics (ECGs) of all patients showed spontaneous ST-segment elevation in leads V(1-3) at baseline and 13 patients (87%) showed transient normalization of the ST-segment elevation during follow-up. Twelve patients received an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (6 patients with aborted sudden death, 5 patients with syncope or chest pain, 1 asymptomatic patient). During a mean follow-up of 19+/-14 months, arrhythmic events occurred in 5 of the 6 patients with aborted sudden death and in 1 of the 5 patients with syncope or chest pain. None of the asymptomatic patients developed any symptoms suggestive of an arrhythmic event. The clinical and ECG manifestation of BS in Korean patients is diverse, but the dynamic nature of the ST segment provides an important clue to the diagnosis of BS. Recurrence of malignant arrhythmia is extremely high in those patients who initially present with aborted sudden death.

[1]  J. Brugada,et al.  The Brugada Syndrome. , 2005, Archives des maladies du coeur et des vaisseaux.

[2]  H. Morita,et al.  Risk stratification for asymptomatic patients with Brugada syndrome. , 2003, Circulation journal : official journal of the Japanese Circulation Society.

[3]  H. Morita,et al.  Risk Stratification of Patients with Brugada Syndrome , 2003 .

[4]  S. Priori,et al.  Natural History of Brugada Syndrome: Insights for Risk Stratification and Management , 2002, Circulation.

[5]  J. Towbin,et al.  Long-Term Follow-Up of Individuals With the Electrocardiographic Pattern of Right Bundle-Branch Block and ST-Segment Elevation in Precordial Leads V1 to V3 , 2002, Circulation.

[6]  J. Brugada,et al.  Dealing with biological variation in the Brugada syndrome. , 2001, European heart journal.

[7]  G. Breithardt,et al.  Brugada Syndrome and Supraventricular Tachyarrhythmias: A Novel Association? , 2001, Journal of cardiovascular electrophysiology.

[8]  K. Harumi,et al.  Three-year follow-up of patients with right bundle branch block and ST segment elevation in the right precordial leads : Japanese registry of Brugada syndrome , 2001 .

[9]  H. Mabuchi,et al.  Arrhythmias in patients with Brugada-type electrocardiographic findings. , 2001, Japanese circulation journal.

[10]  T. Ikeda,et al.  Assessment of noninvasive markers in identifying patients at risk in the Brugada syndrome: insight into risk stratification. , 2001, Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

[11]  I. Gussak,et al.  Clinical diagnosis and risk stratification in patients with Brugada syndrome. , 2001, Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

[12]  Seung‐Jung Park,et al.  Two cases of sudden cardiac death syndrome associated with right bundle branch block and ST segment elevation , 2000 .

[13]  J. Towbin,et al.  Sodium channel blockers identify risk for sudden death in patients with ST-segment elevation and right bundle branch block but structurally normal hearts. , 2000, Circulation.

[14]  J. Brugada,et al.  The syndrome of right bundle branch block ST segment elevation in V1 to V3 and sudden death--the Brugada syndrome. , 1999, Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology.

[15]  J. Towbin,et al.  The Brugada syndrome: clinical, electrophysiologic and genetic aspects. , 1999, Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

[16]  J. Brugada,et al.  Right bundle-branch block and ST-segment elevation in leads V1 through V3: a marker for sudden death in patients without demonstrable structural heart disease. , 1998, Circulation.

[17]  K. Nademanee,et al.  Arrhythmogenic marker for the sudden unexplained death syndrome in Thai men. , 1997, Circulation.

[18]  Y. Aizawa,et al.  Autonomic and antiarrhythmic drug modulation of ST segment elevation in patients with Brugada syndrome. , 1996, Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

[19]  L. Jordaens,et al.  [Ventricular tachycardia in the normal heart]. , 1995, Archives des maladies du coeur et des vaisseaux.

[20]  J. Brugada,et al.  Right bundle branch block, persistent ST segment elevation and sudden cardiac death: a distinct clinical and electrocardiographic syndrome. A multicenter report. , 1992, Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

[21]  C. Otto,et al.  Ventricular fibrillation causes sudden death in Southeast Asian immigrants. , 1984, Annals of internal medicine.