Lyme Carditis From A to Z

This book provides valuable tools for the appropriate diagnosis and management of Lyme carditis. It includes epidemiological, pathophysiological and clinical recommendations for the identification, confirmation and management of the disease. With one score that currently facilitates diagnosing Lyme carditis when patients present with undiagnosed complete heart block (the “SILC Score”), a rapid recognition of Lyme carditis as the cause of conduction disorders is essential to allow early treatment with IV antibiotics with a high probability of complete resolution and avoiding unnecessary pacemaker implantation. 

Lyme carditis: From A to Z provides a clinical algorithm to facilitate management, pre-discharge evaluations of the conduction system and long-term follow-up of patients properly treated for Lyme carditis. It provides a proven approach to patients implanted with cardiac devices and in whom Lyme carditis is subsequently diagnosed, while it also explores the possibility of Lyme dilated cardiomyopathy as a chronic manifestation of Lyme disease. This book therefore represents an original and unique resource that sheds light on an important topic of discussion in many endemic regions of the world.

Introduction.- Lyme disease epidemiology: Update 2022.- Etiopathogenesis of Lyme disease.- Classification of Lyme disease stages.- Physiopathology of early disseminated Lyme carditis.- Clinical manifestations of early disseminated Lyme carditis.- The “SILC” score: Differential diagnosis of unexpected AV block.- Diagnosis and management of Lyme carditis.- Temporary-permanent pacing in Lyme carditis.- Management of Lyme myocarditis.- Lyme carditis in the pediatric population.- Early disseminated Lyme carditis Long-Term Follow-up.- Considerations for permanent pacemaker extraction in resolved Lyme carditis.- Modelling late dissemination Lyme carditis.- Into the future: Strategies for the next 5-10 years.

Dr. Adrian Baranchuk, a native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, obtained his MD from the University of Buenos Aires in 1990. After qualifying in Internal Medicine and Cardiology (1995), he completed a Clinical Fellowship in Cardiac Electrophysiology (1997). In 2002 he immigrated to Spain for a Research Fellow. Dr. Baranchuk was appointed as a Clinical Fellow in Electrophysiology at McMaster University in September 2003.         

Dr. Baranchuk was appointed as an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Queen’s University (2006), promoted to Associate Professor in 2010 and to Full Professor in 2016 (with Tenure). He has founded the EP Training Program in 2007.  He is a member of numerous editorial boards (Europace, Annals of Noninvasive Electrocardiology, etc) and reviewer of several journals. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Electrocardiology and JACC in Spanish.  The recipient of a teaching award (Outstanding Contribution in the Core Internal Medicine Program 2009) and 2014 awarded with the prestigious “Faculty of Health Sciences Education Award”.

Dr Baranchuk was awarded with the “Golden Caliper Award” from the SOLAECE (Latin American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology) for his outstanding contributions to science in 2014 and with the “ISHNE Junior Investigator Award” in April 2015. In 2016 he was distinguished with the “10 Most Influential Hispanic-Canadian Award” from the Hispanic business.ca and TD Bank. He was awarded with the “David Ginsburg Mentorship Award” in 2017. He also received the “Ron Wigle Mentorship Award” and the “Magdy Basta Award” by the Canadian Heart Rhythm Society. He has served as the President of the International Society of Electrocardiology (ISE) for the period 2017-2019. He is currently President-Elect of the Interamerican Society of Cardiology (2021-2023) and Vice President of the International Society of Holter and Non-invasive Electrocardiology (ISHNE) (2021-2023). He has mentored more than 140 students and residents and his publications usually include a Med Student or resident as first author. He served in the Electrophysiology Section Leadership Council of the American College of Cardiology (2017-2020).

Dr. Rachel Wamboldt is a cardiology resident at Queen’s University. She completed a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Windsor prior to obtaining her medical degree from Norwich Medical School in the United Kingdom. She completed her internal medicine training at Queen’s University. Dr. Wamboldt is the author of the textbook ‘Communication Skills for OSCEs’. Her interests include clinical cardiology, echocardiography, Lyme carditis and women’s cardiovascular health.

Dr. Chang (Nancy) Wang is an internal medicine resident and Master's of Epidemiology candidate at Queen's University through the Clinical Investigator Program. Her current thesis focuses on determining patient and provider factors associated with long-term outcomes in patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators. Nancy's other clinical interests include Lyme carditis, pacemakers and women's health. Nancy is passionate about cardiovascular medicine and health services research.