Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 23, 2026

Electrocardiogram Recordings in Anesthetized Mice using Lead II
04:16

Electrocardiogram Recordings in Anesthetized Mice using Lead II

Published on: June 20, 2020

13.5K

QTc Prolongation in Acute Pediatric Migraine

Lindsay J May1, Kelly Millar, Karen M Barlow

  • 1From the *Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA; †Department of Pediatrics; ‡Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Alberta's Children Hospital; §Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; and ∥Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Alberta's Children Hospital, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Pediatric Emergency Care
|October 7, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric migraine headaches may prolong the QTc interval, a measure of cardiac conduction. Further research is needed to monitor children for QTc prolongation during acute migraine treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Cardiology

Background:

  • Migraine is prevalent in children and often managed in emergency departments.
  • Adults with migraine show QTc interval prolongation during headaches, which resolves between episodes.
  • Prolonged QTc intervals increase the risk of life-threatening arrhythmias, and migraine treatments can exacerbate this risk.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether the QTc interval significantly prolongs during acute migraine headaches in pediatric patients.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective cohort study of 13 children (ages 6-17) with acute migraine.
  • Exclusion of patients on QTc-prolonging medications or with relevant medical conditions.
  • Paired t-tests compared QTc intervals during and without headache, assessing for ≥30 ms prolongation.

Main Results:

  • The mean QTc interval was significantly longer during migraine headaches (437.9 ± 27.7 ms) compared to headache-free periods (419.3 ± 29.9 ms; p=0.04).
  • Three patients (23%) experienced unequivocal QTc prolongation (>460 ms) during migraine, with two normalizing post-headache.
  • The average QTc increase during headache did not meet the 30 ms threshold (p=0.86).

Conclusions:

  • This study suggests a link between acute migraine headaches and QTc prolongation in children.
  • Further studies are warranted to confirm these findings.
  • Pediatric patients with migraine may require QTc monitoring in emergency settings, especially when administered QTc-prolonging medications.
Abstract

More Related Videos

3D-Neuronavigation In Vivo Through a Patient's Brain During a Spontaneous Migraine Headache10:39

3D-Neuronavigation In Vivo Through a Patient's Brain During a Spontaneous Migraine Headache

Published on: June 2, 2014

19.1K
Interictal High Frequency Oscillations Detected with Simultaneous Magnetoencephalography and Electroencephalography as Biomarker of Pediatric Epilepsy10:22

Interictal High Frequency Oscillations Detected with Simultaneous Magnetoencephalography and Electroencephalography as Biomarker of Pediatric Epilepsy

Published on: December 6, 2016

22.8K

Related Concept Videos

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion01:26

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion

In pediatric medicine, understanding the renal function and drug elimination nuances is crucial for administering safe and effective treatments. Newborns, in particular, display markedly slower renal functions than adults, profoundly affecting how drugs are cleared from their bodies. This slower drug clearance requires clinicians to extend the dosing intervals for many medications to prevent drug accumulation and toxicity while ensuring therapeutic efficacy.One key area where these adjustments...
398
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption01:23

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption

Understanding the physiological differences in the pediatric population is crucial for effective pharmacotherapy. Neonates, infants, and children exhibit significant variations in gastric pH, gastric emptying time, intestinal transit time, and biliary function. These variations profoundly affect oral drug absorption, necessitating a nuanced approach to pediatric dosing.Neonates present with a unique physiological profile, having a gastric pH greater than 4 and faster and more irregular gastric...
924
ECG Interpretation of Arrhythmias II: Atrial, Junctional and Ventricular Arrhythmias01:25

ECG Interpretation of Arrhythmias II: Atrial, Junctional and Ventricular Arrhythmias

Arrhythmia is a condition characterized by an irregular heart rhythm, with ECG changes that differ based on its origin and nature. The types of arrhythmias discussed below include atrial, junctional, and ventricular arrhythmias.Atrial ArrhythmiasPremature Atrial Complexes (PACs): PACs are early atrial beats caused by stress, caffeine, alcohol, electrolyte imbalances, hypoxia, hyperthyroidism, or certain medications (e.g., bronchodilators and decongestants). The ECG shows early P waves with an...
1.1K
Depolarizing Blockers: Pharmocokinetics01:19

Depolarizing Blockers: Pharmocokinetics

Depolarizing blockers are administered through intravenous injection. Succinylcholine is the most common choice of depolarizing blockers in emergency clinical practices. Although they have a rapid onset, they readily diffuse away from the motor end plate into the extracellular fluid. They are metabolized by enzymes such as liver butyrylcholinesterase and plasma pseudocholinesterases. This produces a short duration of action, typically 5-10 minutes long, unlike nondepolarizing blockers, which...
766
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism01:24

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism

In pediatric care, understanding the nuances of hepatic drug metabolism is crucial, as it significantly differs from that of adults. This divergence is primarily due to the developmental stage of drug-metabolizing enzymes, which affects how medications are processed in the body. In neonates, for instance, the activity of Phase I enzymes—critical for the initial breakdown of drugs—is markedly reduced, functioning at just 20–40% of the levels seen in adults. This reduction poses...
394
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution01:17

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution

Drug distribution in the pediatric population exhibits unique challenges and considerations due to the physiological differences between children, particularly neonates and infants, and adults. A crucial aspect of pediatric pharmacology is understanding how these differences impact the pharmacokinetics of various drugs, necessitating age-specific dosing strategies to ensure efficacy and safety.Neonates and infants have a higher total body water content, ~75%–90% of their body weight,...
542