| QTc Values Among Children and Adolescents Presenting to the Emergency Department. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 22123891 Owner: NLM Status: Publisher |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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Objective:Long-QT syndrome (LQTS) is both underdiagnosed and overdiagnosed. Many patients are incorrectly diagnosed as having LQTS after presenting to an emergency department (ED) with presyncope/syncope and demonstrating "borderline" QT-interval prolongation (QTc ≥ 440 milliseconds) in a sentinel ED-obtained electrocardiogram (ECG). We sought to evaluate the distribution and clinical significance of QT intervals in the ED.Methods:We retrospectively reviewed data for all patients 22 years of age or younger (N = 626; 369 females; age, mean ± SD: 17 ± 5 years) who had ECGs obtained in our ED between July 1, 2007, and June 30, 2008. A total of 223 patients were excluded because of known structural heart disease, arrhythmias, electrolyte abnormalities, or exposure to QT-interval-prolonging medications.Results:The average QTc was 428 ± 28 milliseconds (range: 344-566 milliseconds), and approximately one-third of patients had QTc values of ≥440 milliseconds (females: 41%; males: 21%). Overall, 104 patients presented with presyncope/syncope, of whom 14 (13%) had follow-up ECGs. On follow-up, these patients demonstrated significant decreases in QTc values of 33 ± 43 milliseconds (P < .04). Only 8 (31%) of 26 patients with presyncope/syncope with borderline QT values had follow-up ECGs performed, in 5 of which the QTc values were decreased significantly. No patients ultimately received LQTS diagnoses.Conclusions:In the ED setting, approximately one-third of pediatric patients exhibited QTc values of ≥440 milliseconds and had significant normalization of QTc values in follow-up evaluations. First-time ECGs obtained after a syncopal episode must be interpreted with caution, particularly in the context of so-called borderline QT intervals. |
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Authors:
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Charlotte S Van Dorn; Jonathan N Johnson; Nathaniel W Taggart; Lois Thorkelson; Michael J Ackerman |
Publication Detail:
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Type: JOURNAL ARTICLE Date: 2011-11-28 |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Pediatrics Volume: - ISSN: 1098-4275 ISO Abbreviation: - Publication Date: 2011 Nov |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2011-11-29 Completed Date: - Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 0376422 Medline TA: Pediatrics Country: - |
Other Details:
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Languages: ENG Pagination: - Citation Subset: - |
Affiliation:
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Departments of Pediatrics. |
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From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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