title: Frightening dreams and spells: a case of ventricular asystole from Lyme disease.
abstract: We present a case of a 20-year-old woman who presented with a febrile illness, frightening dreams and repeated short episodes of apparent seizure activity. Third degree heart block and ventricular asystole were noted on the monitor when the patient experienced a spell during conscious sedation for a lumbar puncture. The combination of heart block and a predominantly lymphocytic cerebrospinal fluid led to the diagnosis of Lyme disease. Lyme titres were strongly positive and subsequently confirmed by Western Blot analysis. Cardiac aetiologies and specifically heart block associated with Lyme disease should be considered in patients from endemic areas presenting with fever and unexplained spells or seizure-like activity.
authors.affiliation: Brown University School of Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Providence 02903, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Weissman
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jagminas
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Shapiro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004325:Dreams; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology; D006327:Heart Block / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D012640:Seizures / Q000209:etiology*