Ventricular tachycardia in a disseminated MDR-TB patient: a case report and brief review of literature

Front Med. 2014 Jun;8(2):259-63. doi: 10.1007/s11684-014-0321-7. Epub 2014 Mar 14.

Abstract

Although significant breakthroughs have been achieved in tuberculosis management, we still encounter numerous difficulties in diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Additionally, a new challenge, multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) with unspecific clinical presentation, often results in delayed diagnosis. In this paper, we reported a case of disseminated tuberculosis with rare presentation of ventricular fibrillation, which proved resistant to both isoniazid and rifampicin. A review of literature showed that ventricular fibrillation or tachycardia in tuberculosis patients with pericarditis or myocarditis has been sporadically reported in the past, but none has been conducted involving patients with MDR-TB infections.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antitubercular Agents / therapeutic use
  • Echocardiography
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Tachycardia, Ventricular / diagnosis
  • Tachycardia, Ventricular / etiology*
  • Tuberculosis, Cardiovascular / complications
  • Tuberculosis, Cardiovascular / diagnosis
  • Tuberculosis, Cardiovascular / drug therapy
  • Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / complications*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antitubercular Agents