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Does low birth weight affect P-wave and QT dispersion in childhood?

Aydin Akyuz1, Seref Alpsoy, Dursun Cayan Akkoyun

  • 1Department of Cardiology.

Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology : PACE
|July 24, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Low birth weight (LBW) in children does not significantly affect atrial conduction or ventricular repolarization. P-wave dispersion and QT dispersion analyses showed no differences compared to normal birth weight (NBW) children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Electrophysiology
  • Neonatal Health

Background:

  • Low birth weight (LBW) is a significant global health concern.
  • Potential long-term cardiovascular effects of LBW in children require further investigation.
  • Atrial conduction and ventricular repolarization are critical cardiac functions potentially impacted by early life factors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of low birth weight on atrial conduction using P-wave dispersion (Pw-d).
  • To assess the effects of low birth weight on ventricular repolarization through QT dispersion (QT-d) analysis.
  • To compare cardiac electrophysiological parameters between LBW and normal birth weight (NBW) children.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional controlled study involving 50 LBW and 70 NBW children.
  • Measurement of P-wave dispersion (Pw-d) and QT dispersion (QT-d) in both groups.
  • Statistical analysis including t-tests, Mann-Whitney U, chi-squared, and regression analyses.

Main Results:

  • No significant differences in Pw-d, QT-d, or corrected QT dispersion (QTc-d) between LBW and NBW children.
  • Anthropometric, clinical, and echocardiographic parameters were comparable between the groups.
  • Pw-d correlated with left atrial diameter; QTc-d associated with left ventricle mass index within normal ranges.

Conclusions:

  • Low birth weight does not appear to significantly alter atrial conduction or ventricular repolarization in children.
  • Early life factors like LBW may not have a detectable impact on these specific cardiac electrophysiological measures in childhood.
  • Further research may explore other cardiovascular parameters or later developmental stages.
Abstract

Keywords:
P-wave indicesQT intervalchildhoodlow birth weight

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