Journal of Rare Cardiovascular Diseases

Sarcoidosis is a systemic inflammatory disease characterized by the presence of noncaseating granulomas. Etiology of the disease remains unknown. From 3.7% to 54.9% patients with extra‑cardiac sarcoidosis have asymptomatic heart involvement. Conduction abnormalities, arrhythmias and congestive heart failure are the most common clinical manifestations of cardiac sarcoidosis (CS). The aim of the study was to evaluate the type and frequency of electrocardiographic abnormalities in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis and to compare differences in the occurrence of electrocardiographic changes between patients diagnosed with CS and patients without confirmation of CS.

Materials and methods: 49 patients (18 women, 31 men), mean age 45.6 ±12.2 years with biopsy‑proven pulmonary sarcoidosis were enrolled in the study. The patients were divided into two groups. Group 1 consisted of 12 patients diagnosed with CS, and Group 2 of 37 patients without diagnosis of CS. 12‑lead baseline electrocardiogram (ECG) was recorded for all participants.

Results: 89.8% patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis had abnormal ECG. The most common ECG abnormalities were ST‑T changes observed in 79.6%. Conduction abnormalities were present in 26.5% of patients. 22.45% patients had left axis deviation. Rhythm abnormalities were recorded in 20.4% of all analyzed ECGs. ECGs of 8.16% of patients met criteria of hypertrophy. There was a trend towards more frequent prevalence of some ECG changes in patients with CS than patients without CS. However, these differences were not statistically significant.

Conclusions: We observed a trend towards more frequent prevalence of some ECG abnormalities in a group of patients with CS than in patients without CS. However, these differences were not statistically significant. ECG abnormalities in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis require further diagnostics. JRCD 2017; 3 (3): 81–85

rare disease; electrocardiogram; conduction abnormalities; rhythm abnormalities; pulmonary sarcoidosis; cardiac sarcoidosis

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