Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. An important diagnosis in children with syncope and normal heart.
Syncope in children is primarily related to vagal hyperreactivity, but ventricular tachycardia (VT) way rarely be seen. Catecholaminergic polymorphic VT is a rare entity that can occur in children without heart disease and with a normal QT interval, which may cause syncope and sudden cardiac death. In this report, we describe the clinical features, treatment, and clinical follow-up of three children with syncope associated with physical effort or emotion and catecholaminergic polymorphic VT. Symptoms were controlled with beta-blockers, but one patient died suddenly in the fourth year of follow-up. Despite the rare occurrence, catecholaminergic polymorphic VT is an important cause of syncope and sudden death in children with no identified heart disease and normal QT interval.
Leite
L R
LR
Paulista School of Medicine, São Paulo Federal University, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Ponzi Pereira
K R
KR
Alessi
S R
SR
de Paola
A A
AA
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D009248:Nadolol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013575:Syncope / Q000209:etiology*; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D009248:Nadolol