Recurrent dramatic QT prolongation in a patient with the sickle cell disease

Abstract

Acquired long QT syndrome, occurs in 0.7% of hospitalizations. However, recurrent acquired long QT syndrome, during the same hospitalization is quite rare. We report the unusual case of a patient with sickle cell disease who developed symptomatic QT interval prolongation, that occurred despite documented normalization of electrolytes, and absence of any QT prolonging medications. We provide hypotheses to explain the phenomenon, including, the presence of sickle cell disease, genetic predisposition, transient elevation of pulmonary artery pressures, and episodic elevation of vagal tone. *Correspondence to: Patrick Mathias, Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA. Cardiovascular Associates, Kissimmee, Florida, USA, E-mail: indianpat127@yahoo.com