Holter analyses in children with adenotonsillar hypertrophy

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Cardiology
• Otolaryngology
• Diagnostic Electrocardiology

Background:

• Adenotonsillar hypertrophy (ATH) is linked to cardiac complications, often assessed via echocardiography.
• Arrhythmia analysis in pediatric ATH patients requires further investigation.
• 24-hour Holter ECG monitoring offers a detailed view of cardiac electrical activity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the prevalence of arrhythmias in children with ATH.
• To assess heart rate variability (HRV) and heart rate turbulence (HRT) in pre- and post-operative periods.
• To determine the impact of adenotonsillectomy on these cardiac parameters.

Main Methods:

• Study included 25 children (12 female, 13 male) with ATH (mean age 66 months).
• 24-hour Holter monitoring and ECG analysis were performed pre-operatively and 1 month post-operatively.
• Prevalence of arrhythmias, HRV, and HRT were analyzed and compared between periods.

Main Results:

• Some ECG findings like sinus tachycardia and Mobitz type 1 second-degree AV block improved post-surgery.
• However, the overall prevalence of arrhythmias, HRV, and HRT values did not show significant changes post-operatively (p>0.05).

Conclusions:

• Heart rate turbulence (HRT) and heart rate variability (HRV) are non-invasive tools for cardiac risk prediction.
• These parameters did not significantly change after adenotonsillectomy in children with ATH.
• ECG and 24-hour Holter monitoring are valuable for assessing pre-operative arrhythmias and potential cardiac complications in ATH patients.