All issues > Volume 32(7); 1989

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1989;32(7):958-964. Published online July 31, 1989.

Clinical Characteristics of Ventricular Tachycardia on 24 hour ECG in Children.

Ki Soo Kim¹, Young Hwue Kim¹, Chung Il Noh¹, Jung Yun Choi¹, Yong Soo Yoon¹, Chang Yee Hong¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea

Received: November 28, 1988;  Accepted: December 12, 1988.

Abstract

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) is uncommon, but is in increasing tendency probably due to better case detection and longer survival of the patients with complex congenital heart disease. Widespread use of 24 hour ECG has contributed a lot to better understanding of ventricular tachycardia. Fourteen cases of ventricular tachycardia diagnosed by 24 hour ECG at Seoul National Children’ s Hospital from Feb. 1986 to Sep. 1987 were analysed to find out characteristics of ventricular tachycardia in the childhood. During the study period, a total of 217 patients underwent 24 hour ECG, so that the incidence of ventricular tachycardia was 6.5%. Ages ranged from 2 months to 14 years with mean of 8 years and male to female ratio was 2.5:1 . The QRS morphology were LBBB type in 6, RBBB type in 4, multiform in 2, and indeterminate type in 2 patients. In 11 cases heart diseases were associated (congenital heart disease in 8 and cardiomyopathy in 3 cases) and in 3 cases, there were no structural heart diseases detected. The rate of ventricular tachycardia was not related to the preceding sinus rate. In each case, the prematurity index was greater than 1.0 and the vulnerability index was less than 1.1.-So there was no correlation between the mode of initiation of ventricular tachycardia and the prematurity index, and the vulnerability index.

Keywords :Ventricular Tachycardia, 24 hour ECG