Increased Prevalence of the Electrocardiographic Early Repolarization Pattern in Young Patients With Vagally Mediated Syncope: A Case-Control Study

Overview

Journal CJC Pediatr Congenit Heart Dis

Specialty Cardiology & Vascular Diseases

Date 2024 May 22

PMID 38774680

Authors

Mohit Singla

Pascal N Tyrrell

Manveer Khural

Gil J Gross

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Electrocardiographic early repolarization (EER) is linked with idiopathic ventricular fibrillation in adults. It is frequently seen in children, with poorly understood significance. Some evidence suggests that it could be a vagally mediated phenomenon. A retrospective case-control study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that EER is more common among children with typical vasovagal syncope (VVS) than among their peers with nonvagal syncope (NVS) or with no syncope.

Methods: Patients aged 4-18 years with syncope were identified by a single-centre database search followed by a review of history for features of VVS (n = 150) or NVS (n = 84). The first available electrocardiogram (ECG) for VVS or for NVS was retrieved. Age- and sex-matched children with no known syncope or heart disease were then identified (n = 216). ECGs were assessed separately for EER based on published criteria by 2 observers blinded to patients' clinical status.

Results: Mean age was 12.3 ± 3.2 years, and heart rate was 74.2 ± 16.5 beats/min. EER was more prevalent in VVS (33.3%) than among patients with NVS (19.1%; odds ratio: 2.29; confidence interval: 1.32-5.50) or among those with no syncope (12.5%; odds ratio: 3.14; confidence interval: 1.81-5.46). Heart rates were significantly lower in VVS and NVS (heart rate: 70.1 ± 13.8 and 70.7 ± 12.4 beats/min, respectively) compared with children with no syncope (heart rate: 78.2 ± 18.0 beats/min), both < 0.001.

Conclusions: EER is more common in paediatric patients with VVS than those with NVS or without syncope, consistent with a possible vagal contribution to the ECG finding.

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