Cardiac findings in patients with syncope referred to a pediatric clinic

Abstract

The aim of the present study was cardiac findings in patients with syncope referred to a pediatric clinic. Materials and Methods: In this study, a cross-sectional study of children who referred to the clinic of Tabriz Children's Hospital with at least one case of syncope was examined. Patient information including number of syncope events, factors leading to syncope (including prolonged standing, hyperventilation, mental stress, exercise, and prolonged starvation); Any aura before syncope (including confusion, palpitation, decreased vision, nausea, sweating, and paleness); Patient medications and family history (including syncope, sudden death, and cardiovascular disease) were recorded. The patient's clinical examination information including heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure in the supine and sitting position (after standing for 2 minutes) was recorded. Cardiopulmonary findings were recorded. 12-lead electrocardiography was performed for patients and information including heart rate, heart rate, P wave height, QRS length, heart axis and QTc were recorded. If there is a positive electrocardiographic or clinical result, 2D Doppler echocardiography was performed for patients and the results were recorded. Results: In this cross-sectional study, 100 children who referred to the clinic of Tabriz Children's Hospital with at least one case of syncope were examined. The mean age of the children was 8.54±2.70 years ranging from 2.5 to 16 years. The average number of syncope cases at the time of study data collection was 4 syncope with a range between 1 and 12 syncope. In terms of gender distribution, 44 children (44%) were boys and 56 children (56%) were girls. The family history of syncope was positive in 7 children (7%). The most common cause of syncope in children studied was syncope following exercise (33%). The most common aura was palpitation with a frequency of 29%. In the studied children, abnormal ECG was observed in 11 children (11%). Abnormalities included prolonged QTc in 4 cases, ventricular hypertrophy based on high voltage in 2 cases, atrial enlargement in 2 cases, abnormal axis in 1 case, complete heart block in 1 case, and supraventricular tachycardia in 1 case.