title: Atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia in children.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to identify the clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of children with atrioventricular reentry tachycardia (AVNRT) and to define the prognosis and the treatment strategy. Sixty-two children (28 males and 34 females mean age, 10.2 +/- 3.2 years) with AVNRT ("slow-fast" type) were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups: 47 patients with severe symptoms (group A) and 15 with mild symptoms (group B). The severity of the symptoms was not related to the electrophysiological parameters. Females were more symptomatic than males. Patients in group B did not receive any treatment (except 1 because of parents' choice) nor did they develop symptoms, and 5 patients had resolution of palpitations. Forty-one of 46 patients in group A were successfully treated with medical therapy as initial treatment. Thirty-one patients in group A underwent slow pathway ablation. There were late recurrences of AVNRT in 6 patients. Typical AVNRT in young patients does not appear to be life threatening. Patients with mild or no symptoms do well without therapy. Medical therapy and slow pathway ablation appear to be effective in the more symptomatic patients. Age and electrophysiological variables are not related to the symptoms or response to treatment. Females with AVNRT are more symptomatic and more likely to present with syncope.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Bambino Gesù Hospital, P.zza Sant'Onofiro, 400165 Rome, Italy. drago@opbg.net
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Drago
authors.forename: Giorgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grutter
authors.forename: Massimo S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Silvetti
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Santis
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Ciommo
mesh_terms: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018780:Body Surface Potential Mapping; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D022062:Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013611:Tachycardia, Atrioventricular Nodal Reentry / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents