acyclovir and Bradycardia

A case of varicella myocarditis in a previously healthy 6-year-old child was reviewed. The patient presented with third-degree heart block and shock as the sole manifestation of her cardiac involvement. Bradyarrhythmias required temporary transvenous pacing. Intravenous acyclovir was used. The patient recovered without permanent sequelae. The natural history, clinical presentation, and treatment of varicella myocarditis are reviewed.

Topics: Acyclovir; Bradycardia; Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; Chickenpox; Child; Electrocardiography; Female; Heart Block; Humans; Infusions, Intravenous; Isoproterenol; Myocarditis; Shock, Cardiogenic

BACKGROUND Acute cerebellitis in adults is a rare disease. The etiology is unknown but postulated to be due to primary infection or para-infection. Different presentations have been reported, which complicates the diagnosis process. CASE REPORT We report the case of a young man who presented with headache, vomiting, and vertigo. He was found to have ataxia and cerebellar signs, bradycardia magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain showed acute cerebellitis, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) studies showed lymphocytosis. Further investigations showed the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG. His symptoms resolved completely with corticosteroid and antiviral treatments. CONCLUSIONS Acute cerebellitis can present in various ways. Bradycardia, along with neurological deficits, should raise the suspicion of acute cerebellitis.

Topics: Acute Disease; Acyclovir; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Antiviral Agents; Ataxia; Bradycardia; Ceftriaxone; Cerebellar Diseases; Dexamethasone; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections; Glucocorticoids; Humans; Immunoglobulin G; Immunoglobulin M; Lymphocytosis; Male; Young Adult

Topics: Acyclovir; Adult; Antiviral Agents; Bradycardia; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; Humans; Male; Meningitis, Aseptic

A 51 year old man developed Herpes zoster on the right arm (C5/C6) treated subsequently with aciclovir infusions (500 mg, 3/day). Ten months before hospital admission he did have a radical resection of a epi-oro-hypopharyngeal carcinoma (T4/N1/G2, M0; lymphangiosis carcinomatosa) as well as a partial laryngeal resection for a recurrence 3 months later and removal of a cervical lymph node metastasis after two further months. During aciclovir treatment the patient experienced repeated bradycardia with hypotension verifiable with the tilt-table test. The bradycardias could not be further characterized by ECC. Neither sonography nor CT-scans gave an indication for infiltration of the cervical course of the vagus or glossopharyngeal nerves. Serum catecholamines were, however, markedly reduced. After cessation of aciclovir the bradycardias and hypotensive episodes disappeared. A final tilt-table test was unremarkable. A reversible autonomic neuropathy induced by aciclovir seems a possible explanation.

Topics: Acyclovir; Antiviral Agents; Bradycardia; Herpes Zoster; Humans; Hypotension; Male; Middle Aged; Tilt-Table Test