Electrocardiogram as a Lyme Disease Screening Test. J Pediatr 2021 Nov;238:228-232.e1
Date
07/16/2021Pubmed ID
34265339DOI
10.1016/j.jpeds.2021.07.010Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85112505319 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 4 CitationsAbstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between electrocardiographic (ECG) evidence of carditis at the time of Lyme disease evaluation and a diagnosis of Lyme disease.
STUDY DESIGN: We performed an 8-center prospective cohort study of children undergoing emergency department evaluation for Lyme disease limited to those who had an ECG obtained by their treating clinicians. The study cardiologist reviewed all ECGs flagged as abnormal by the study sites to assess for ECG evidence of carditis. We defined Lyme disease as the presence of an erythema migrans lesion or a positive 2-tier Lyme disease serology. We used logistic regression to measure the association between Lyme disease and atrioventricular (AV) block or any ECG evidence of carditis.
RESULTS: Of the 546 children who had an ECG obtained, 214 (39%) had Lyme disease. Overall, 42 children had ECG evidence of carditis, of whom 24 had AV block (20 first-degree). Of the patients with ECG evidence of carditis, only 21 (50%) had any cardiac symptoms. The presence of AV block (OR 4.7, 95% CI 1.8-12.1) and any ECG evidence of carditis (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.2-4.3) were both associated with diagnosis of Lyme disease.
CONCLUSIONS: ECG evidence of carditis, especially AV block, was associated with a diagnosis of Lyme disease. ECG evidence of carditis can be used as a diagnostic biomarker for Lyme disease to guide initial management while awaiting Lyme disease test results.
Author List
Neville DN, Alexander ME, Bennett JE, Balamuth F, Garro A, Levas MN, Thompson AD, Kharbanda AB, Lewander DP, Dart AH, Nigrovic LE, for Pedi Lyme NetAuthor
Michael Levas MD Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdolescentAtrioventricular Block
Child
Diagnosis, Differential
Electrocardiography
Emergency Service, Hospital
Female
Humans
Lyme Disease
Male
Myocarditis
Prospective Studies
