Case Report: Atrial Fibrillation After Intravenous Administration of Iodinated Contrast Medium in a Patient With Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Medicine (Baltimore). 2015 Sep;94(35):e1406. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000001406.

Abstract

We describe the case of a 73-year-old woman with liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who developed 2 distinct episodes of paroxystic atrial fibrillation (AF) each of which occurred 1 to 4 hours after iodine medium contrast-enhanced computed tomography. Sinus rhythm was restored by amiodarone therapy after the first AF episode and by electrical cardioversion after the second one. A careful clinical, biochemical, and instrumental examination showed that the patient had subclinical hyperthyroidism and moderate mitral insufficiency with mild atrial enlargement.Thus, the coexistence of both subclinical disthyroidism and of cardiac anatomical alterations may have predisposed the patient to AF that in fact occurred when exogenous iodine administration triggered a hyperthyroidism status.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Amiodarone / therapeutic use
  • Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / therapeutic use
  • Atrial Fibrillation / chemically induced*
  • Atrial Fibrillation / diagnosis*
  • Atrial Fibrillation / therapy
  • Benzamides / adverse effects*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / diagnostic imaging*
  • Contrast Media / adverse effects*
  • Electric Countershock
  • Electrocardiography
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hyperthyroidism / diagnosis
  • Hyperthyroidism / physiopathology
  • Liver Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Mitral Valve Insufficiency / diagnosis
  • Mitral Valve Insufficiency / physiopathology
  • Pyrrolidines / adverse effects*
  • Time Factors
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods*
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Anti-Arrhythmia Agents
  • Benzamides
  • Contrast Media
  • Pyrrolidines
  • iodopride
  • Amiodarone