title: Sudden cardiac death and sarcoidosis of the heart in a young patient.
abstract: Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous disease of unknown etiology affecting any organ, microscopically characterized by noncaseating granulomata. Cardiac involvement in sarcoidosis has been reported. It might be symptomatic or not and even revealed by sudden death. Heart conduction system is rarely investigated at autopsy, even in cases of sudden cardiac death. We present a case of a 32-year-old woman who died suddenly. The examination of the heart conduction system revealed a cardiac sarcoidosis that could explain the sudden death. The review of clinical data of the patient revealed some symptoms consistent/in agreement with this hypothesis. Cardiac sarcoidosis remains a diagnostic challenge and can be easily missed, clinically and pathologically. The retrospective analysis of clinical data and autopsy results of fatal and unusual cases might help to better understand sarcoidosis and its clinical presentations. Examination of the cardiac conduction system is crucial in selected cases of sudden cardiac death.
authors.affiliation: CURML, Vulliette 4, 1000 Lausanne, Switzerland. Electronic address: Morgane.jotterand@chuv.ch.
authors.forename: Morgane
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jotterand
authors.affiliation: CURML, Vulliette 4, 1000 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grabherr
authors.affiliation: Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Johannes Alexandre
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lobrinus
authors.affiliation: Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Michaud
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001344:Autopsy; D001706:Biopsy; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology
keywords: Cardiac sarcoidosis; Heart conduction system; Sudden cardiac death