Electroconvulsive therapy-induced Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. - GreenMedInfo Summary

OBJECTIVE: Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome is characterized by premature ventricular excitation due to the presence of an abnormal accessory pathway. Electrocardiography (ECG) of patients with WPW syndrome portrays a short PR interval and a wide QRS interval with a delta wave.

METHODS: Herein, we report the case of a patient with schizophrenia who developed a wide QRS interval with a delta wave immediately following electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

RESULTS: Initially, the delta wave disappeared within 2 days after ECT. However, the duration of the delta wave increased exponentially to 4 months when ECT was repeated.

CONCLUSION: Although the patient's cardiocirculatory dynamics remained normal, we continued to monitor her ECG until the delta wave disappeared because WPW syndrome can lead to serious arrhythmia.