title: Negative chronotropic factor in patients with fungemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of serum from patients with fungemia and control patients on sinoatrial node function.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Surgical ICU in a university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen patients with fungemia and 14 control patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum samples from all patients were assayed in an in vitro sinus node preparation. Serum samples from 11 (78%) of the 14 fungemic patients caused a decrease in sinus node activity, while serum samples from only one (7%) of 14 control patients caused slowing of the sinus node.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum from many patients with fungemia causes slowing of an in vitro sinus node preparation. This in vitro finding may explain bradyarrhythmias seen clinically in the setting of fungemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Rosenfeld
authors.forename: Z J
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Bosnjak
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Shapiro
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dorman
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ligier
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Breslow
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000503:physiopathology; D001919:Bradycardia / Q000209:etiology*; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D016469:Fungemia / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012849:Sinoatrial Node / Q000503:physiopathology