Long-term prognosis of drug-induced Brugada syndrome

BACKGROUND Patients with drug-induced Brugada syndrome (BS) are considered at a lower risk than those with a spontaneous type I pattern. Nevertheless, they can present arrhythmic events. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to investigate their clinical characteristics, long-term prognosis and risk factors. METHODS A consecutive cohort of 343 patients with drug-induced BS was included and compared with 78 patients with a spontaneous type I pattern. RESULTS The mean age was 40.7 +/- 18.3 years. Sudden cardiac death (SCD) was the clinical presentation in 13 (3.8%) and syncope in 86 (25.1%); 244 (71.1%) were asymptomatic. Patients with drug-induced BS were less frequently men (180 (52.5%) vs 63 (80.8%); P<.01), were more frequently asymptomatic (244 (71.1%) vs 44 (56.4%); P<.01), and had less ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) induced during electrophysiology study (41 (13.2%) vs 31 (42.4%); P<.01). An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator was implanted in 128 patients (37.3%). During a median follow-up of 62.5 months (interquartile range 28.9-115.6 months), 34 patients presented arrhythmic events. The event rate was 1.1% person-year (vs 2.3% person-year in patients with a spontaneous type I pattern; P<.01). Presentation as SCD and inducible VAs were independent risk factors significantly associated with arrhythmic events (adjusted hazard ratio 22.0 and 3.5). Drug-induced BS was related to a better prognosis only in asymptomatic individuals. CONCLUSION Drug-induced BS has a good prognosis if asymptomatic; however, SCD is possible. Clinical presentation as SCD and inducible VAs during electrophysiology study are independent risk factors for arrhythmic events. In asymptomatic patients, proband status and inducible VAs can help to identify patients at higher risk, but further evidence is needed.