Congenital short QT syndrome: Landmarks of the newest arrhythmogenic cardiac channelopathy

Abstract

Congenital or familial short QT syndrome is a genetically heterogeneous cardiac channelopathy without structural heart disease that has a dominant autosomal or sporadic pattern of transmission affecting the electric system of the heart. Patients present clinically with a spectrum of signs and symptoms including irregular palpitations due to episodes of paroxysmal atrialfibrillation, dizziness and fainting (syncope) and/or sudden cardiac death due to polymorphic ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. Electrocardiographic (ECG) findings include extremely short QTc intervals (QTc interval ≤ 330 ms) not significantly modified with heart rate changes and T waves of great voltage witha narrow base. Electrophysiologic studies are characterized by significant shortening of atrial and ventricular refractory periods and arrhythmias induced by programmed stimulation. A few families have been identified with specific genotypes: 3 with mutations in potassium channels called SQT1 (I_ks), SQT2 (I_kr) and SQT3 (I_k1). These 3 potassium channel variants are the “genetic mirror image” of long QT syndrome type 2, type 1 and Andersen-Tawil syndrome respectively because they exert opposite gain-of-function effects on the potassium channels in contrast to the loss-of-function of the potassium channels in the long QT syndromes. Three new variants with overlapping phenotypes affecting the slow inward calcium channels havealso been described. Finally, another variant with mixed phenotype affecting the sodium channel was reported. This review focuses the landmarks of this newest arrhythmogenic cardiac channelopathy on the main clinical, genetic, and proposed ECG mechanisms. In addition therapeutic options and the molecular autopsy of this fascinating primary electrical heart disease are discussed.