title: Assessment of the QT interval in the electroencephalography (EEG) of children with syncope, epilepsy, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
abstract: The interpretation of QT interval is often neglected during electroencephalography (EEG) reading. We compared the incidence of prolonged QT interval, as seen in the electrocardiography (ECG) recording lead of the EEG, in children presenting with seizure, syncope, or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Abnormal QT was defined as >460 ms. The incidence of prolonged QT in the seizure, syncope, and ADHD groups was 1/50 (2%), 7/50 (14%), and 2/50 (4%), respectively (P = .036, chi-square). The mean +/- SD of QT were 405 +/- 34, 424 +/- 39, and 414 +/- 36, respectively (P = .035, analysis of variance [ANOVA], syncope group, compared with seizure group). The incidence of prolonged QT as measured in the EEG was unexpectedly high in children presenting with seizure, syncope, or ADHD. These data support the concept that QT evaluation should be emphasized during routine EEG reading, as it may aid in identifying cases of undiagnosed cardiac conduction abnormalities. Prospective studies comparing EEG-ECG tracings with 12-lead ECG are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Section of Neurology, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, Department of Pediatrics, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19134, USA.
authors.forename: Om P
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Jha
authors.forename: Divya S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Khurana
authors.forename: Karen S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Joseph J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Melvin
authors.forename: Agustin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Legido
authors.forename: Anna C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: O'Riordan
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Valencia
mesh_terms: D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012640:Seizures / Q000503:physiopathology; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013575:Syncope / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors