title: Electrocardiography and 24-hour electrocardiographic ambulatory recording (Holter monitor) studies in children infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1. The Pediatric Pulmonary and Cardiac Complications of Vertically Transmitted HIV-1 Infection Study Group.
abstract: Limited data are available on the electrocardiogram and ambulatory electrocardiogram recording (Holter) in children infected with the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence and cumulative incidence of rhythm and conduction abnormalities in HIV-1-infected children. Electrocardiograms and Holter monitoring studies were performed annually on 205 HIV-1-infected children enrolled after 28 days of life (group I), 93 HIV-1-infected infants enrolled during pregnancy or during the first 28 days of life (group IIa), and 463 HIV-1-uninfected infants enrolled during pregnancy or during the first 28 days of life (group IIb). The 5-year cumulative incidence in the group I children of second-degree atrioventricular block or supraventricular or ventricular tachycardia was 13.4%, and the 5-year incidence was higher for the older infected group I children (16.8% for children > or =4 years old at first study and 11.4% for children <4 years, p = 0.04). The mean corrected QT interval was also longer for the older infected group I children (p = 0.002) and prolonged in the HIV-1-infected compared to the HIV-1-uninfected group II children (p = 0.02). None of the children had atrial fibrillation or flutter. Arrhythmias are uncommon in children infected with HIV-1 and in children of HIV-1-infected mothers and the arrhythmias identified tend to be benign. Therefore, routine Holter monitoring does not appear to be indicated in asymptomatic children.
authors.affiliation: Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Saidi
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Moodie
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garson
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Lipshultz
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Colan
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Starc
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shanbhag
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Easley
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Bricker
mesh_terms: D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence