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Lyme Carditis: Observational Outcomes of Treatment
Current Problems in Cardiology,(Wang, C., et al.), published “Long-term Outcomes in Treated Lyme Carditis” in *October 2022. Authors provide results of an observational study of post treatment outcomes for 7 patients that had serologically confirmed Lyme carditis. *Version of Record August 24, 2022.
Patients in the study ranged from 14-56 years old. Six of the 7 patients were male. All of the patients initially presented with high-degree atrioventricular block and other signs or symptoms of heart distress. They were all treated with an established standard protocol developed by the medical center. The protocol included a course of antibiotics as well as a pre-discharge stress test to assess stability of the atrioventricular node.
Patients studied were followed for a minimum of 12 months after hospital discharge. At the time of follow-up, all patients were free of symptoms, functioning normally, and had no conduction abnormalities. None of the patients required permanent pacing intervention for their heart.
Through evaluation of these case reports, authors present evidence for avoidance of permanent pacing for Lyme carditis if conduction of the heart is stable at the time patients are discharged. Authors also state that there is currently no protocol for ongoing monitoring of patients after discharge from hospital, and that long term follow-up should be further explored.
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