Seizures, syncope, or breath-holding presenting to the pediatric neurologist--when is the etiology a life-threatening arrhythmia?
Using case reports from their own experience and in the literature the authors illustrate the difficulty in distinguishing non-life threatening causes, including epilepsy, from a serious cardiac arrythmia when evaluating children with paroxysmal events. Focusing on long QT syndrome, they suggest an approach for the pediatric neurologist that utilizes the electrocardiogram recorded during the electroencephalogram--direct measurement of the corrected QT interval. This approach requires knowledge of the distribution of the corrected QT interval in long QT syndrome.
Allan
Walter C
WC
Foundation for Blood Research, Scarborough, ME 04074, USA. allan@fbr.org
Gospe
Sidney M
SM
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008133:Long QT Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D009462:Neurology; D010372:Pediatrics; D012119:Respiration; D012640:Seizures / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D013575:Syncope / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D013997:Time Factors