title: Cardiac repolarization changes in the children with breath-holding spells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Breath-holding spells are known as benign attacks, frequencies of which decrease by the development of the autonomic nervous system. The present study aims to compare the electrocardiographic repolarization in children with breath-holding spells.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, QT dispersion, QTc dispersion, T peak to T end dispersion, and P wave dispersion of the twelve-lead surface electrocardiography of fifty children who had breath-holding spells were measured and compared with normal children from April 2011 to August 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-four (88%) patients had cyanotic spells, while 6 (12%) had pallid spells. QTc dispersion was increased in the patients with breath-holding spells (148.2±33.1) compared to the healthy children (132±27.3) and the difference was statically significant (P = 0.01). Meanwhile, no statistically significant differences were observed between the patients and the control subjects regarding the other parameters (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  QTc dispersion was significantly increased in the patients with breath-holding spells compared to normal children and this is a sign of cardiac repolarization abnormality as well as the increased risk of cardiac arrhythmia in patients with breath-holding spells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Namazi Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Amoozgar
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Namazi Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Fazl
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Saleh
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Namazi Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Nahal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Farhani
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Namazi Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rafiei
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Namazi Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Soroor
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Inaloo
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Namazi Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali-Akbar
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Asadipooya
keywords: Arrhythmia; Autonomic Dysfunction; Breath-Holding Spell; Cardiomyopathy; QT Interval Dispersion