title: The longitudinal time course of QTc in early infancy. Preliminary results of a prospective sudden infant death syndrome surveillance program.
abstract: Eleven hundred one healthy neonates in Charleston County, SC, were enrolled in a prospective, serial measurement sudden infant death syndrome/QT surveillance program. Automated computer-enhanced ECGs were recorded at 1 day of age in the hospital nursery and again at 1 week and 1, 2, and 3 months in the participant's home. At 1 year, the families were contacted by phone or mail and questioned as to the health of the child. Validation studies demonstrated the computer-enhanced ECGs to be 96% accurate, whereas traditional ECG recording and measurement was 94% accurate. No systematic differences in the QTc according to race and sex were observed. There were parallel longitudinal time courses for each race and sex group with a significant (P less than .001) shortening of the QTc at 1 week. There was no evidence of tracking of the QTc during the first 3 months of life. In conclusion, (1) automated, enhanced ECG QTc intervals are superior to traditional electrocardiography while retaining the advantages of automation; (2) there is a significant shortening of the QTc during the first month of life; and (3) a home follow-up sudden infant death syndrome surveillance program is feasible and produces accurate, reliable information.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Schaffer
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Trippel
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Buckles
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Dolan
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Gillette
mesh_terms: D003201:Computers; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013022:South Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000453:epidemiology