title: Near-drowning syndrome: a possible trigger of tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy.
abstract: We report a case of transient tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy characterized by an unusual trigger in a woman victim of near-drowning syndrome. After 24 h, electrocardiogram changes and a typical echocardiographic pattern of apical ballooning with a mild increase of serum troponin level induced the suspicion of tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy despite the absence of chest pain. Left ventriculography confirmed the apical ballooning, and coronary angiography revealed normal coronary arteries. Electrocardiogram changes and apical contraction abnormalities were reversed within 1 month. In conclusion, we hypothesize that hypoxemia related to near-drowning syndrome could have induced transient myocardial dysfunction mediated by a sympathetic nerve activation.
authors.affiliation: UO UTIC-Cardiologia San Luca Hospital, Vallo della Lucania SA, Italy. rodolfo.citro@email.it
authors.forename: Rudolfo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Citro
authors.forename: Marco Mariano
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Patella
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bossone
authors.forename: AntonGiulio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maione
authors.forename: Gennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Provenza
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gregorio
mesh_terms: D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015701:Near Drowning / Q000150:complications*; D054549:Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology