Saturday, January 30, 2016

A few studies about Lyme and heart failure

On December 13, 2013, The CDC published a report describing three cases of sudden cardiac death associated with Lyme carditis.
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6249a1.htm?s_cid=mm6249a1_w

From the CDC report:

"None were known to have had a tick bite and none had usual stigmata of Lyme disease such as erythema migrans." (Bulls-eye rash)

Three seemingly healthy individuals dropped dead from heart failure where there were no warning signs of disease. It is important to recognize here that the cause of death was only identified due to the fact that the three Lyme patients were potential organ donors otherwise these cases would not have been identified or reported. We have to ask the question, "How many seemingly healthy Lyme patients have donated blood?" (Our blood supply is not screened for Lyme disease)

Other Fatal/Life-threatening studies:

1. Lyme disease: A case report of a 17-year old male with fatal Lyme carditis
http://www.cardiovascularpathology.com/article/S1054-8807(15)00025-3/abstract?rss=yes
We describe a case of a 17-year-old adolescent who died unexpectedly after a 2-week viral-like syndrome. Postmortem examination was remarkable for diffuse pancarditis characterized by extensive infiltrates of lymphocytes and focal interstitial fibrosis. In the cardiac tissue, Borrelia burgdorferi was identified via special stains, immunohistochemistry and PCR.

2. Fatal Lyme carditis and endodermal heterotopia of the atrioventricular node.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2429516/
A fatal case of Lyme carditis occurring in a Suffolk farm worker is reported. Post-mortem examination of the heart showed pericarditis, focal myocarditis and prominent endocardial and interstitial fibrosis

3. Fatal pancarditis in a patient with coexistent Lyme disease and babesiosis. Demonstration of spirochetes in the myocardium.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4040723
A 66-year-old man developed fever, chills, myalgias, three erythematous skin lesions, and transient left eyelid lag. Because of persistent fever, he was hospitalized 4 weeks after the onset of disease; a peripheral blood smear showed Babesia microti in 3% of his erythrocytes. Eighteen hours later, he died unexpectedly. Autopsy showed pancarditis with a diffuse lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate, and spirochetes were found in the myocardium.

4. Lyme borreliosis as a cause of myocarditis and heart muscle disease.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1915460
These findings give further evidence that LB is associated with chronic heart muscle disease.

5. Cardiac Lyme disease - case report - A Fatality confirmed with Autopsy PCR study
http://umaryland.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/postmortem-confirmation-of-lyme-carditis-with-polymerase-chain-reaction%2896d9181d-9d52-4fc7-9149-287cd0123f84%29.html
We describe the case of a 37-year-old Caucasian man with a 1-month history of fevers, rash, and malaise who died unexpectedly on the day after he underwent medical evaluation.

6. Unclassified cardiomyopathy or Lyme carditis? A three year follow-up.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23575786
We present the case of a 41 year-old Caucasian woman referred to our hospital with symptoms of fatigue, progressive exertional dyspnoea, supraventricular cardiac arrhythmia, and an enlarged heart revealed on chest radiography

7. Professor Neil Spector: Duke physician uses near-death experience to encourage patient self-advocacy
http://www.dukechronicle.com/articles/2015/05/28/duke-physician-uses-near-death-experience-encourage-patient-self-advocacy#.VYlYnxtViko
Duke University Professor Neil Spector required a heart transplant after experiencing four years of undiagnosed-untreated Lyme disease. 

8. Lyme Deaths From Heart Inflammation Likely Worse Than We Thought
http://www.forbes.com/sites/judystone/2015/09/04/lyme-deaths-from-heart-inflammation-likely-worse-than-we-thought/

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