A case report of fludarabine associated ectopic atrial bradycardia and literature review of fludarabine induced bradycardia.

Abstract

Background: Fludarabine is a chemotherapeutic agent with lymphodepleting effects that is increasingly used as part of a conditioning regimen prior to allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Fludarabine is generally considered a relatively safe medication with only rare cases of cardiotoxic side effects.

Case presentation: Here, we present a case of a 30-year-old woman who was undergoing conditioning for a haploidentical cell transplantation for treatment of Fanconi anemia with a 5-day course of daily fludarabine infusion. After her second fludarabine infusion, she was noted to have ectopic atrial bradycardia that resolved with supportive therapy and completion of fludarabine infusion.

Conclusion: We report the first case of ectopic atrial bradycardia associated with fludarabine. Although rare and transient, clinicians should recognize this rare cardiotoxic side effect of fludarabine.