Usefulness of Echocardiography in Children with New-Onset Supraventricular Tachycardia

Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is the most common sustained arrhythmia in children. Infants with SVT and ventricular preexcitation (Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome) are known to have up to 30% prevalence of congenital heart disease (CHD). Infants without ventricular preexcitation who present with SVT at <1 year of age have a similar prevalence of CHD. However, for children without ventricular preexcitation who present with SVT at older ages, the prevalence of CHD is not known. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of CHD in older children and adolescents presenting with SVT without ventricular preexcitation, with the goal of providing guidance regarding the usefulness of echocardiography in this patient population.

Children aged 2 to 18 years presenting with confirmed SVT between January 2011 and December 2015 were included in this retrospective review. Patients with any history of ventricular preexcitation or preexisting heart disease were excluded. Medical records were reviewed, and electrocardiographic and echocardiographic findings were classified as normal, incidental, or abnormal.

Two hundred ninety patients met the inclusion criteria. Echocardiographic examinations were completed on 224 patients. Only one patient was found to have CHD, a moderate primum atrial septal defect. This patient was noted to have electrocardiographic abnormalities consistent with primum atrial septal defect.

For older children and adolescents with no known heart disease presenting with SVT without ventricular preexcitation, echocardiography may not be a necessary part of initial evaluation when the results of physical examination and electrocardiography are normal.