QT prolongation and ventricular fibrillation caused by acute necrotising pancreatitis in a young female patient

Abstract

Electrocardiographic alterations associated with acute pancreatitis (AP) have been known for decades. This association may be of particular importance in differential diagnosis, since authors have reported ECG abnormalities suggestive of myocardial infarction. The pathophysiological mechanism of these ECG changes has remained unclear to date. Only a few reports have been published on pancreatitis-induced QT prolongation and malignant arrhythmia. This case report describes the case history of a young female patient with acute pancreatitis accompanied with a substantial prolongation of the QT interval, resulting in recurrent ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation. A thorough cardiologic work-up (including coronary angiography and electrophysiology screen) ruled out other causes of malignant arrhythmia. The patient received an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. Following resolution of the pancreatitis, the QT interval normalized and arrhythmia has not recurred during long-term follow-up. To the best knowledge of the authors, there is no case reports in the literature similar to that described in this paper. Orv. Hetil., 2012, 153, 1918–1920.