Analiza rozpoznań elektrokardiograficznych u dzieci z nieprawidłowym wynikiem przesiewowego EKG wykonanego w szkole

Abstract

Introduction. Electrocardiography (ECG) is one of the fundamental procedures used as a diagnostic tool in pediatric cardiology. ECG is indispensable in the evaluation of children with arrhythmias, some of which like in long QT syndrome and Wolff- Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome could be life threatening. Aim. The aim of the study was to analyze diagnostic tests of the cardiovascular system in children with abnormal ECG screening performed at school. Material and methods. Abnormal ECG screening in 31 children, aged 7-13 years old (average 10.6 years) was re-analyzed. In all 31 children referred to pediatric cardiology department ECG and echocardiogram were performed. In case of arrhythmia suspicion, 24-hour Holter ECG monitoring and exercise test were also done. Results. Based on ECG screening performed at school, initially in 22 out of the 31 children significant changes in ECG were found and minor in 9. After verification in the pediatric cardiology department 50% of children with previously diagnosed significant changes in ECG were considered to have a normal ECG. Only in 2 children pathology was confirmed (WPW syndrome and QT prolongation). The most frequent falsely diagnoses in ECG included: hypertrophy of the left ventricle, heart axis deviation, nonspecific repolarization changes, partial right bundle branch block. Conclusions. 1. The interpretation of the ECG in children requires taking into account the age differences and should be carried out by a pediatric cardiologist. 2. Most of the changes found in screening ECG in children were irrelevant without clinical significance.