Open AccessCardiac arrest in Wilson's disease after curative liver transplantation: a life‐threatening complication of myocardial copper excess?
Author(s) -
Bobbio Emanuele,
Forsgard Niklas,
Oldfors Anders,
Szamlewski Piotr,
Bollano Entela,
Andersson Bert,
Lingbrant Marie,
Bergh Niklas,
Karason Kristjan,
Polte Christian L.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
esc heart failure
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.787
H-Index - 25
ISSN - 2055-5822
DOI - 10.1002/ehf2.12395
Subject(s) - medicine , cardiology , complication , wilson's disease , transplantation , liver transplantation , ventricular fibrillation , ventricular tachycardia , heart failure , atrial fibrillation , heart transplantation , disease , myocardial fibrosis
We report the case of a 38‐year‐old man who presented with cardiac arrest 1 year after curative liver transplantation for Wilson's disease. Clinical work‐up proofed myocardial copper and iron accumulation using mass spectrometry, which led most likely to myocardial fibrosis as visualized by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (unprecedented delayed enhancement pattern) and endomyocardial biopsy. Consequently, cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation and subsequent episodes of sustained ventricular tachycardia were considered as primary cardiac manifestation of Wilson's disease. This can, as illustrated by our case, occur even late after curative liver transplantation, which is an important fact that treating physicians should be aware of during clinical follow‐up of these patients.