Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and paroxysmal tachycardia in infancy; report of a case.

Abstract

The syndrome of anomalous atrioventricular excitation, more commonly known as the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, is an electrocardiographic entity that has been the subject of much discussion in recent years. Up to the present, however, only a few cases have been reported of this condition in infants. This conduction defect seems to predispose the patient to attacks of paroxysmal tachycardia, which are of a more serious nature in infants than they usually are in adults. For these reasons, we wish to report a case of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia in a 4-month-old infant in whom the electrocardiogram made on cessation of the arrhythmia showed the presence of the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. REPORT OF A CASE A 4-month-old baby girl, weighing 11 lb. 6 oz. (5.17 kg.), was brought to St. Vincent's Hospital at 10 a. m., May 2, by her parents, because of weakness, pallor, and failure to nurse. Until 24 hours earlier, she