Arritmias cardiacas en la unidad de ictus: análisis de los datos de la monitorización cardiaca / Cardiac arrhythmias in stroke unit patients. Evaluation of the cardiac monitoring data

Introducción: Las arritmias cardiacas son frecuentes en el ictus agudo. La monitorización cardiaca telemétrica es una técnica extendida en las unidades de ictus. La aparición de arritmias en el ictus agudo puede relacionarse con las interacciones cerebro-corazón o con la patología cardiaca. Se analiza las arritmias relevantes en pacientes ingresados en una unidad de ictus. Método: Estudio descriptivo observacional prospectivo de pacientes ingresados en una unidad de ictus con monitorización cardiaca. Se analizan las características de los pacientes y las arritmias registradas durante un año (2013). Se investigó el tiempo de aparición, su asociación con factores predisponentes y las consecuencias terapéuticas de la detección. Todos los pacientes al menos tuvieron 48 h de monitorización cardiaca. Resultados: Se analizó a 332 pacientes, de los cuales 98 (29,5%) presentaron algún tipo de arritmia relevante. Se registraron taquiarritmias (taquiarritmias ventriculares, taquiarritmias supraventriculares, actividad ectópica ventricular compleja) en 90 pacientes (27,1%), y bradiarritmias en 13 pacientes (3,91%). La aparición de arritmias se asoció a un mayor tamaño de la lesión y mayor edad de los pacientes. La detección de arritmias relevantes tuvo consecuencia terapéuticas en el 10% de todos los pacientes. La incidencia de arritmias fue mayor durante las primeras 48 h. Conclusiones: La evaluación sistemática de la monitorización cardiaca en pacientes con ictus agudo permite detectar arritmias cardiacas clínicamente relevantes. Su incidencia es mayor durante las primeras 48 h. La edad y el tamaño de la lesión cerebral se relacionan con su aparición. La detección de arritmias en una unidad de ictus tiene consecuencias terapéuticas fundamentales

Introduction: Cardiac arrhythmias are frequent in acute stroke. Stroke units are widely equipped with cardiac monitoring systems. Pre-existing heart diseases and heart-brain interactions may be implicated in causing cardiac arrhythmias in acute stroke. This article analyses cardiac arrhythmias detected in patients hospitalised in a stroke unit. Method: Prospective observational study of consecutive patients admitted to a stroke unit with cardiac monitoring. We collected clinical data from patients and the characteristics of their cardiac arrhythmias over a 1-year period (2013). Time of arrhythmia onset, associated predisposing factors, and the therapeutic decisions made after detection of arrhythmia were examined. All patients underwent continuous cardiac monitoring during no less than 48 hours. Results: Of a total of 332 patients admitted, significant cardiac arrhythmias occurred in 98 patients (29.5%) during their stay in the stroke unit. Tachyarrhythmia (ventricular tachyarrhythmias, supraventricular tachyarrhythmias, complex ventricular ectopy) was present in 90 patients (27.1%); bradyarrhythmia was present in 13 patients (3.91%). Arrhythmias were independently associated with larger size of brain lesion and older age. In 10% of the patient total, therapeutic actions were taken after detection of significant cardiac arrhythmias. Most events occurred within the first 48 hours after stroke unit admission. Conclusions: Systematic cardiac monitoring in patients with acute stroke is useful for detecting clinically relevant cardiac arrhythmias. Incidence of arrhythmia is higher in the first 48 hours after stroke unit admission. Age and lesion size were predicted appearance of arrhythmias. Detection of cardiac arrhythmias in a stroke unit has important implications for treatment

Cardiac arrhythmias in stroke unit patients. Evaluation of the cardiac monitoring data. / Arritmias cardiacas en la unidad de ictus: análisis de los datos de la monitorización cardiaca.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiac arrhythmias are frequent in acute stroke. Stroke units are widely equipped with cardiac monitoring systems. Pre-existing heart diseases and heart-brain interactions may be implicated in causing cardiac arrhythmias in acute stroke. This article analyses cardiac arrhythmias detected in patients hospitalised in a stroke unit. METHOD: Prospective observational study of consecutive patients admitted to a stroke unit with cardiac monitoring. We collected clinical data from patients and the characteristics of their cardiac arrhythmias over a 1-year period (2013). Time of arrhythmia onset, associated predisposing factors, and the therapeutic decisions made after detection of arrhythmia were examined. All patients underwent continuous cardiac monitoring during no less than 48hours. RESULTS: Of a total of 332 patients admitted, significant cardiac arrhythmias occurred in 98 patients (29.5%) during their stay in the stroke unit. Tachyarrhythmia (ventricular tachyarrhythmias, supraventricular tachyarrhythmias, complex ventricular ectopy) was present in 90 patients (27.1%); bradyarrhythmia was present in 13 patients (3.91%). Arrhythmias were independently associated with larger size of brain lesion and older age. In 10% of the patient total, therapeutic actions were taken after detection of significant cardiac arrhythmias. Most events occurred within the first 48hours after stroke unit admission. CONCLUSIONS: Systematic cardiac monitoring in patients with acute stroke is useful for detecting clinically relevant cardiac arrhythmias. Incidence of arrhythmia is higher in the first 48hours after stroke unit admission. Age and lesion size were predicted appearance of arrhythmias. Detection of cardiac arrhythmias in a stroke unit has important implications for treatment.

Multifocal-motor-neuropathy-like disease associated with Infliximab treatment in a patient with Crohn's disease.

Multifocal motor neuropathy is an immune-mediated disorder characterized by motor-conduction block in nerve-conduction studies. It is recognized that anti-TNF-α therapies are associated with immune-mediated conditions as adverse events. We report a case of multifocal-motor-neuropathy-like disease associated with the use of Infliximab in a patient with Crohn's disease. The diagnosis was based on neurophysiological evaluation and complete screening tests. Clinical and laboratory findings were not compatible with other potential causes. There was a mild response to the IVIg treatment, and once Infliximab treatment was withdrawn, the patient made slow but substantial progress in his motor function, with partial improvement of motor conduction blocks in the last neurophysiological evaluation. We believe there is a causal relationship between anti-TNF-α treatment and the disorder in this patient. There are few well-documented reports of this association. To our knowledge, our case is the first occurring in a patient with Crohn's disease.