Possible Brugada Phenocopy Induced by Hypokalemia in a Patient with Congenital Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis

Dear Editor,

We read with great interest the case report by Gazzoni et al regarding a Brugada ECG pattern induced by hypokalemia. This paper is important because it contributes to the growing body of literature describing Brugada Phenocopies (BrP)^–.

Briefly, BrP are characterized by ECG patterns that are identical to type-1 or type-2 Brugada ECG patterns despite the absence of true congenital Brugada Syndrome (BrS). BrP are induced by various clinical circumstances including: hypokalemia, hyperkalemia, hypothermia, myocardial ischemia, and pulmonary embolism. We have established six etiological categories of BrP^– along with a systematic approach to diagnose BrP by excluding sodium channel dysfunction in the myocardium. The presented case by Gazzoni et al would possibly qualify under category (i) metabolic conditions; however, further analysis of this case report is required.

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