Exercise-Induced Arrhythmia or Munchausen Syndrome in a Marathon Runner?
A 36-year-old professional marathon runner reported sudden irregular palpitations occurring during competitions, with heart rates (HR) up to 230 bpm recorded on a sports HR monitor (HRM) over 4 years. These episodes subsided upon the cessation of exercise. Electrocardiograms, echocardiography, and c...
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MDPI AG
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Diagnostics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/13/18/2917 |
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| author | Robert Gajda Wojciech Drygas Jacek Gajda Pawel Kiper Beat Knechtle Magdalena Kwaśniewska Maciej Sterliński Elżbieta Katarzyna Biernacka |
| author_facet | Robert Gajda Wojciech Drygas Jacek Gajda Pawel Kiper Beat Knechtle Magdalena Kwaśniewska Maciej Sterliński Elżbieta Katarzyna Biernacka |
| author_sort | Robert Gajda |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A 36-year-old professional marathon runner reported sudden irregular palpitations occurring during competitions, with heart rates (HR) up to 230 bpm recorded on a sports HR monitor (HRM) over 4 years. These episodes subsided upon the cessation of exercise. Electrocardiograms, echocardiography, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging results were borderline for athlete’s heart. Because an electrophysiology study and standard exercise tests provoked no arrhythmia, doctors suspected Munchausen syndrome. Ultimately, an exercise test that simulated the physical effort of a competition provoked tachyarrhythmia consistent with the HRM readings. This case demonstrates the diagnostic difficulties related to exercise-induced arrhythmia and the diagnostic usefulness of sports HRMs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:53:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c17a94a46ae34a7ca18c02132f648b1f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4418 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:53:34Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diagnostics |
| spelling | doaj.art-c17a94a46ae34a7ca18c02132f648b1f2023-11-19T10:13:26ZengMDPI AGDiagnostics2075-44182023-09-011318291710.3390/diagnostics13182917Exercise-Induced Arrhythmia or Munchausen Syndrome in a Marathon Runner?Robert Gajda0Wojciech Drygas1Jacek Gajda2Pawel Kiper3Beat Knechtle4Magdalena Kwaśniewska5Maciej Sterliński6Elżbieta Katarzyna Biernacka7Center for Sports Cardiology at the Gajda-Med Medical Center in Pułtusk, ul. Piotra Skargi 23/29, 06-100 Pułtusk, PolandFaculty of Medicine, Lazarski University, ul. Swieradowska 43, 02-662 Warsaw, PolandCenter for Sports Cardiology at the Gajda-Med Medical Center in Pułtusk, ul. Piotra Skargi 23/29, 06-100 Pułtusk, PolandHealthcare Innovation Technology Lab, IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Via Alberoni 70, 30126 Venice, ItalyInstitute of Primary Care, University of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, SwitzerlandDepartment of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lodz, ul. Lucjana Żeligowskiego 7/9, 90-752 Łódź, PolandNational Institute of Cardiology, ul. Alpejska 42, 04-628 Warszawa, PolandNational Institute of Cardiology, ul. Alpejska 42, 04-628 Warszawa, PolandA 36-year-old professional marathon runner reported sudden irregular palpitations occurring during competitions, with heart rates (HR) up to 230 bpm recorded on a sports HR monitor (HRM) over 4 years. These episodes subsided upon the cessation of exercise. Electrocardiograms, echocardiography, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging results were borderline for athlete’s heart. Because an electrophysiology study and standard exercise tests provoked no arrhythmia, doctors suspected Munchausen syndrome. Ultimately, an exercise test that simulated the physical effort of a competition provoked tachyarrhythmia consistent with the HRM readings. This case demonstrates the diagnostic difficulties related to exercise-induced arrhythmia and the diagnostic usefulness of sports HRMs.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/13/18/2917heart rate monitorendurance runningarrhythmiatachycardiaartifactsexertion rhythm disorders |
| spellingShingle | Robert Gajda Wojciech Drygas Jacek Gajda Pawel Kiper Beat Knechtle Magdalena Kwaśniewska Maciej Sterliński Elżbieta Katarzyna Biernacka Exercise-Induced Arrhythmia or Munchausen Syndrome in a Marathon Runner? Diagnostics heart rate monitor endurance running arrhythmia tachycardia artifacts exertion rhythm disorders |
| title | Exercise-Induced Arrhythmia or Munchausen Syndrome in a Marathon Runner? |
| title_full | Exercise-Induced Arrhythmia or Munchausen Syndrome in a Marathon Runner? |
| title_fullStr | Exercise-Induced Arrhythmia or Munchausen Syndrome in a Marathon Runner? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exercise-Induced Arrhythmia or Munchausen Syndrome in a Marathon Runner? |
| title_short | Exercise-Induced Arrhythmia or Munchausen Syndrome in a Marathon Runner? |
| title_sort | exercise induced arrhythmia or munchausen syndrome in a marathon runner |
| topic | heart rate monitor endurance running arrhythmia tachycardia artifacts exertion rhythm disorders |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/13/18/2917 |
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