MedGen

Brugada syndrome is characterized by cardiac conduction abnormalities (ST segment abnormalities in leads V1-V3 on EKG and a high risk for ventricular arrhythmias) that can result in sudden death. Brugada syndrome presents primarily during adulthood, although age at diagnosis may range from infancy to late adulthood. The mean age of sudden death is approximately 40 years. Clinical presentations may also include sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS; death of a child during the first year of life without an identifiable cause) and sudden unexpected nocturnal death syndrome (SUNDS), a typical presentation in individuals from Southeast Asia. Other conduction defects can include first-degree AV block, intraventricular conduction delay, right bundle branch block, and sick sinus syndrome. [from GeneReviews]

Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained cardiac rhythm disturbance, affecting more than 2 million Americans, with an overall prevalence of 0.89%. The prevalence increases rapidly with age, to 2.3% between the ages of 40 and 60 years, and to 5.9% over the age of 65. The most dreaded complication is thromboembolic stroke (Brugada et al., 1997). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of atrial fibrillation, see 608583. [from OMIM]

Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is said to cause more than 300,000 sudden deaths each year in the US alone. In approximately 5 to 12% of cases, there are no demonstrable cardiac or noncardiac causes to account for the episode, which is therefore classified as idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (IVF). Patients with a distinct form of VF called Brugada syndrome (see 601144) present with a characteristic electrocardiographic pattern, with right bundle branch block (RBBB) and elevation of ST segment in leads V1 to V3 and may account for 40 to 60% of all IVF cases (review by Chen et al., 1998). Mutations in the SCN5A gene were identified in patients with Brugada syndrome-1 (601144). Genetic Heterogeneity of Paroxysmal Familial Ventricular Fibrillation Another familial form of VF (VF2; 612956) is caused by mutation in the DPP6 gene (126141) on chromosome 7q26. [from OMIM]

Progressive familial heart block type I (PFHBI, PFHB1) is an autosomal dominant cardiac bundle branch disorder that may progress to complete heart block (Brink and Torrington, 1977; van der Merwe et al., 1986; van der Merwe et al., 1988). It is defined on electrocardiogram by evidence of bundle branch disease, i.e., right bundle branch block, left anterior or posterior hemiblock, or complete heart block, with broad QRS complexes. Progression has been shown from a normal electrocardiogram to right bundle branch block and from the latter to complete heart block. These electrocardiographic features differentiate PFHB type I from progressive familial heart block type II (PFHBII, PFHB2; 140400), in which the onset of complete heart block is associated with narrow complexes. Electrocardiographically the changes represent, respectively, bundle branch disease (PFHB1) and atrioventricular nodal disease with an atrioventricular block and an idionodal escape rhythm (PFHB2). PFHBI is manifested symptomatically when complete heart block supervenes, either with dyspnea, syncopal episodes, or sudden death. Treatment, which is best managed by regular electrocardiographic follow-up, is by the timely implantation of a pacemaker (Brink et al., 1995). Genetic Heterogeneity of Progressive Familial Heart Block Type I Progressive familial heart block type IB (PFHB1B; 604559) is caused by mutation in the TRPM4 gene (606936) on chromosome 19q13.32. [from OMIM]

Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a cardiac electrophysiologic disorder, characterized by QT prolongation and T-wave abnormalities on the EKG that are associated with tachyarrhythmias, typically the ventricular tachycardia torsade de pointes (TdP). TdP is usually self-terminating, thus causing a syncopal event, the most common symptom in individuals with LQTS. Such cardiac events typically occur during exercise and emotional stress, less frequently during sleep, and usually without warning. In some instances, TdP degenerates to ventricular fibrillation and causes aborted cardiac arrest (if the individual is defibrillated) or sudden death. Approximately 50% of untreated individuals with a pathogenic variant in one of the genes associated with LQTS have symptoms, usually one to a few syncopal events. While cardiac events may occur from infancy through middle age, they are most common from the preteen years through the 20s. Some types of LQTS are associated with a phenotype extending beyond cardiac arrhythmia. In addition to the prolonged QT interval, associations include muscle weakness and facial dysmorphism in Andersen-Tawil syndrome (LQTS type 7); hand/foot, facial, and neurodevelopmental features in Timothy syndrome (LQTS type 8); and profound sensorineural hearing loss in Jervell and Lange-Nielson syndrome. [from GeneReviews]

Any familial isolated dilated cardiomyopathy in which the cause of the disease is a mutation in the SCN5A gene. [from MONDO]

The term 'sick sinus syndrome' encompasses a variety of conditions caused by sinus node dysfunction. The most common clinical manifestations are syncope, presyncope, dizziness, and fatigue. Electrocardiogram typically shows sinus bradycardia, sinus arrest, and/or sinoatrial block. Episodes of atrial tachycardias coexisting with sinus bradycardia ('tachycardia-bradycardia syndrome') are also common in this disorder. SSS occurs most often in the elderly associated with underlying heart disease or previous cardiac surgery, but can also occur in the fetus, infant, or child without heart disease or other contributing factors, in which case it is considered to be a congenital disorder (Benson et al., 2003). Genetic Heterogeneity of Sick Sinus Syndrome Sick sinus syndrome-2 (SSS2; 163800) is caused by mutation in the HCN4 gene (605206). Susceptibility to sick sinus syndrome-3 (SSS3; 614090) is influenced by variation in the MYH6 gene (160710). Sick sinus syndrome-4 (SSS4; 619464) is caused by mutation in the GNB2 gene (139390). [from OMIM]

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is a diagnosis of exclusion which should be made only after a thorough autopsy without identification of a specific cause of death (Mage and Donner, 2004). Weese-Mayer et al. (2007) provided a detailed review of genetic factors that have been implicated in SIDS. The authors concluded that SIDS represents more than 1 entity and has a heterogeneous etiology most likely involving several different genetically controlled metabolic pathways. [from OMIM]

Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a cardiac electrophysiologic disorder, characterized by QT prolongation and T-wave abnormalities on the EKG that are associated with tachyarrhythmias, typically the ventricular tachycardia torsade de pointes (TdP). TdP is usually self-terminating, thus causing a syncopal event, the most common symptom in individuals with LQTS. Such cardiac events typically occur during exercise and emotional stress, less frequently during sleep, and usually without warning. In some instances, TdP degenerates to ventricular fibrillation and causes aborted cardiac arrest (if the individual is defibrillated) or sudden death. Approximately 50% of untreated individuals with a pathogenic variant in one of the genes associated with LQTS have symptoms, usually one to a few syncopal events. While cardiac events may occur from infancy through middle age, they are most common from the preteen years through the 20s. Some types of LQTS are associated with a phenotype extending beyond cardiac arrhythmia. In addition to the prolonged QT interval, associations include muscle weakness and facial dysmorphism in Andersen-Tawil syndrome (LQTS type 7); hand/foot, facial, and neurodevelopmental features in Timothy syndrome (LQTS type 8); and profound sensorineural hearing loss in Jervell and Lange-Nielson syndrome. [from GeneReviews]