Autoantibodies for cardiac channels and sudden cardiac death and its relationship to autoimmune disorders

Background: Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) is an unexpected death caused by heart dysfunction. Autoantibodies against cardiac proteins may be potentially involved in the occurrence and progression of cardiac disease and SCD. The first report on the role of autoantibodies in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy appeared in the 1980s. In recent years new studies on the effects of the presence of specific autoantibodies and their relationship to ventricular arrhythmias and SCD were published. The purpose of the current mini-review is to analyze the results of the research studies focused on the relationship between anti-cardiomyocyte autoantibodies and SCD with respect to autoimmune disorders. Conclusion: According to our analysis, more research is needed to understand the role of these autoantibodies against cardiac proteins in the SCD pathogenesis, and potentially employ this knowledge for improving prognosis of SCD.