Case 47-1993: A 28-Year-Old Man with Recurrent Ventricular Tachycardia and Dysfunction of Multiple Organs

Presentation of Case A 28-year-old man was admitted to the hospital because of recurrent ventricular tachycardia. There was a 12-year history of chronic active hepatitis with cirrhosis for which the patient took prednisone daily. Nine years before entry ulcerative colitis developed, with frequent exacerbations, especially during the spring. Four years later eosinophilia was detected; it ranged from 10 to 20 percent on differential counts and decreased during intervals when increased doses of prednisone were given. Anosmia and alopecia universalis developed, with apparent improvement when doses of prednisone were higher. Fifty-eight months before entry third-degree atrioventricular block occurred, and a subcutaneous…