title: Reentry Tachycardia in Children: Adenosine Can Make It Worse.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We report on a rare but severe complication of adenosine use in a child with reentry tachycardia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment with adenosine, which is the standard medical therapy of atrioventricular reentry tachycardia, led to the development of an irregular wide complex tachycardia, caused by rapid ventricular response to atrial fibrillation. The girl was finally stabilized with electrical cardioversion. We analyze the pathomechanism and discuss possible treatment options.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Atrial fibrillation, as well as its conduction to the ventricles, can be caused by adenosine. Rapid ventricular response in children with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is more frequent than previously believed. A patient history of atrial fibrillation is a contraindication for cardioversion with adenosine and needs to be assessed in children with reentry tachycardia. High-risk patients may potentially profit from prophylactic comedication with antiarrhythmic agents, such as flecainide, ibutilide, or vernakalant, before adenosine administration.
authors.forename: Maximilian D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Hien
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Nîmes University Hospital, Nîmes, France.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Benito Castro
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Nîmes University Hospital, Nîmes, France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fournier
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Nîmes University Hospital, Nîmes, France.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Filleron
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Nîmes University Hospital, Nîmes, France.
authors.forename: Tu-Anh
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Tran
mesh_terms: D000241:Adenosine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D004554:Electric Countershock / Q000379:methods; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014927:Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D000241:Adenosine