title: Ambulatory arrhythmia monitoring in pregnant patients with palpitations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE To assess the frequency of rhythm disturbances (RDs) obtained following placement of a Holter monitor or an event loop recorder (ERT) in patients referred to cardiologists.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-six gravidas were referred to the cardiology clinic for palpitations, syncope, or dizziness and had Holter monitoring or ERT after a baseline electroencephalogram. Arrhythmias were classified by severity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gestational age at referral was 22.6 weeks ± 8.3 days. Sixty-five patients had ERTs performed, and 19 had Holter monitors. Seventy-six percent had benign arrhythmias. In our ERT cohort, history of arrhythmias showed a fourfold increase in serious RD during gestation (odds ratio [OR] 4.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1 to 20.3, p = 0.01); obesity (body mass index > 30) had a fourfold increased risk (OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.0 to 1, p = 0.03). Serious RD did not result in greater chance of cesarean delivery or induction of labor, or a newborn with arrhythmias.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most pregnant women with palpitations have benign arrhythmias. ERT appears to be a better method of diagnosis in pregnant women.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors: Meredith O
authors: MO
authors: Cruz
authors: Judith U
authors: JU
authors: Hibbard
authors: Tamika
authors: T
authors: Alexander
authors: Joan
authors: J
authors: Briller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult