161 Koşuyolu Heart J 2021;24(2):161-162 • DOI: 10.51645/khj.2021.m30 LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Correspondence
Gönenç Kocabay
E-mail: gonenckocabay@yahoo.com
Submitted: 10.02.2021
Accepted: 21.05.2021
Available Online Date: 24.05.2021
© Copyright 2021 by Koşuyolu Heart Journal.
Available on-line at
www.kosuyoluheartjournal.com
Brugada Electrocardiographic Pattern Unmasked
by COVID-19 Induced Fever
Cemalettin Yılmaz
1 İD
, Gönenç Kocabay
1 İD
1
Department of Cardiology, Kartal Kosuyolu High Specialization Training and Research Hospital,
Istanbul, Turkey
Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is characterized by fever and infammatory state,
which may serve as provoking factor for Brugada pattern
(1)
. Here, we reported a patient who
developed a fever-induced type 1 Brugada electrocardiographic pattern appeared frst after
COVID-19 infection.
A 47-year-old male presented to the emergency room with the complaint of substernal
chest pain. On admission, the patient was conscious with a 37.8°C fever, an 108 bpm heart
rate and 135/75 mmHg blood pressure and normal respiratory fndings (SaO
2
95%). The
electrocardiogram (ECG) showed a ST-segment elevation in the right precordial leads with
no reciprocal changes (Figure 1). An echocardiogram demonstrated a mildly depressed global
ejection fraction. Due to the persistence of substernal chest pain and ST-segment elevation,
emergent coronary angiography (CAG) was performed, showing normal coronary arteries.
After the diagnostic CAG, the patient was transferred to a dedicated COVID-19 intensive care
unit. The patient had a 39.1°C fever. ECG was repeated and it revealed coved ST-segment
elevation in lead V1 and V2 with a rise of the J-point by 0.25 mV indicative for Brugada type
1 ECG (Figure 2). He denied syncope, dizziness, or palpitations and there was no history of
arrhythmic diseases in his family. Laboratory data were unremarkable. The high-sensitivity
troponin level was within the normal range along with normal electrolytes. The N-terminal
probrain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level was normal. The C-reactive protein (CRP)
level was 40.2 mg/L (normal range: 0-5 mg/L). In order to investigate the cause of fever,
the patient was tested for COVID-19 and chest computerized tomography (CT) scan was
performed. Chest CT scan showed bilateral pulmonary parenchymal ground glass opacities
of the lower lobes consistent with COVID-19 infection (Figure 3). Twenty-four hours after
naso- and oropharyngeal swabs, the patient tested positive for COVID-19 by polymerase
chain reaction (PCR). He received favipravir, hydroxychloroquine and antipyretic therapy. No
anti-arrhythmic treatment was initiated. With defervescence, the ECG demonstrated complete
resolution of the initial Brugada-like ECG pattern (Figure 4). He was discharged from the
hospital after the 7-day hospital stay when second PCR revealed a negative result. The patient
had no prior history of ventricular arrhythmias or syncope and no family history of sudden
cardiac death. Since the risk of sudden death in patients with asymptomatic Brugada pattern
is low, defbrillator implantation was not done. Instead lifestyle modifcations such as treating
Cite this article as: Yılmaz
C, Kocabay G. Brugada elec-
trocardiographic pattern
unmasked by COVID-19 in-
duced eever. Koşuyolu Heart J
2021;24(2):161-162.
Figure 1. The patient’s initial 12-lead electrocardiogram in the emergency room. ST-segment elevations in
V1-V3 with the absence of reciprocal changes.