title: [Usefulness of electrocardiographic screening in a neonatal population].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Congenital long QT syndrome is a rare disease, but is responsible for nearly 10% of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. It is characterized by an abnormal prolonged QT interval in the basal electrocardiogram (ECG) with life-threatening arrhythmias which occur in previously asymptomatic patients and are preventable with an appropriate treatment.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The impact of introducing ECG-screening in newborns is studied and main ECG-measurements are described in our population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve-lead ECG was carried out.
  
  
  METHODS
  RR, PR and QT interval, heart rate corrected QT interval, R wave voltage in V1, AVR and AVL, Q wave in I and AVL, P amplitude and voltage, right bundle branch block and ST elevation (Brugada pattern) and delta wave. It was considered pathological: QTc >0.44 or <0.30 seconds; R >12 in V1 and >8mm in AVR; R >7.5mm in AVL; Q >25% QRS in I and AVL; Brugada pattern; delta wave.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1061 healthy children were born in our hospital between 29 May 2007 and 12 December 2008, of which 50.3% were males. An ECG was performed on 1006 (94.8%). Five ECG were pathological (0.5%): 2 long QT interval, 2 Wolf-Parkinson-White, 1 pathological Q-wave. A second ECG confirmed except for 2 long QT. No structural heart disease was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ECG-screening in newborns is an innocuous, low-cost and parent-well-accepted test that allows us to diagnose asymptomatic but potentially lethal and preventable heart disease; main intervals and waves in our population are describes in this study.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Pediatría, Línea de procesos Materno-Infantiles. Hospital Alto Guadalquivir, Empresa Pública Hospital Alto Guadalquivir, Andújar, Jaén, Spain. macruca@gmail.com
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cruz Cañete
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rus Mansilla
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gómez Lara
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Gavilán Expósito
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Calleja Cabezas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gavilán Pérez
mesh_terms: D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000151:congenital* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008133:Long QT Syndrome / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D015997:Neonatal Screening / Q000379:methods*