The Use of Continuous Electrocardiographic Holter Monitoring in Pediatric Cardiology

Abstract

Objective: To show the place and role of continuous electrocardiographic twenty-four-hour ECG monitoring in daily clinical practice of pediatric cardiologists.

Methods: According to protocol, 2753 patients underwent dynamic continuous ECG Holter monitoring (data collected from the "Register of ECG Holter monitoring" of Pediatric Clinic, UCC Sarajevo in period April 2003- April 2015).

Results: There were 50,5% boys and 49,5% girls, aged from birth to 19 years (1,63% - neonates and infants, 2,6% - toddlers, 9,95% - preschool children, 35,5% - gradeschoolers and 50,3% children in puberty and adolescence). In 68,1% of patients Holter was performed for the first time. Indications for conducting Holter were: arrhythmias in 42,2% cases, precordial pain in 23,5%, suspicion of pre-excitation and/or pre-excitation in 10%, crisis of consciousness in 8%, uncorrected congenital/acquired heart defects in 4,2%, operated heart defects in 3,7%, hypertension in 3,1% cases, control of the pacemaker in 1,63% and other causes in 3,5% cases. Discharge diagnosis after ECG Holter monitoring were: insignificant arrhythmias in 47,1% cases, wandering pacemaker in 21,3%, pre-excitation in 16,2%, benign ventricular premature beats in 6,3%, atrioventricular block in 3%, sinus pause in 2.2% cases and other arrhythmias in 3,5%. In mentioned period 57 cases of Wolf Parkinson White syndrome were registered, in 4,5% of patients antiarrhythmic therapy was administered. Radiofrequent ablation was performed in 23 cases.

Conclusion: The development of pediatric cardiac surgery has initiated development of pediatric arrhythmology as imperative segment of pediatric cardiology. Continuous ECG Holter monitoring has become irreplaceable method in everyday diagnostics and therapy of arrhythmias in children.

Keywords: 24 hour ECG Holter monitoring; antiarrhythmic therapy; arrhythmia; postoperative arrhythmia.

Figure 1

Age distribution of patients

Figure 2

Indications for conducting ECG Holter monitoring