[Paroxysmal tachycardia in infancy and childhood (author's transl)]

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Cardiology
• Electrophysiology

Background:

• Paroxysmal tachycardia presents a significant clinical challenge in pediatric populations.
• Infantile and childhood tachycardia cases require distinct diagnostic and management approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report and analyze 23 cases of paroxysmal tachycardia in infants and children.
• To compare clinical presentations and outcomes between infants and older children.
• To highlight the importance of early diagnosis and intervention.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective case series analysis of 23 pediatric patients with paroxysmal tachycardia.
• Comparison of clinical data between 13 infants (1 day to 6 months) and 10 children.
• Review of underlying etiologies, including congenital heart disease, myocarditis, and Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome.

Main Results:

• 22 cases of supraventricular tachycardia and 1 case of ventricular tachycardia were identified.
• Underlying conditions such as congenital heart disease, myocarditis (8 cases), and WPW syndrome (4 cases) were noted.
• Infants presented unique clinical challenges compared to older children.

Conclusions:

• Paroxysmal tachycardia, particularly in infants, poses a risk of cardiac failure, necessitating immediate diagnosis.
• Timely and accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective management and prevention of adverse outcomes.
• Treatment and prevention strategies should be tailored to the specific age group and underlying etiology.