Arrhythmia rate and management in children presenting to the paediatric emergency department due to palpitation

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Abstract Background: This retrospective study aimed to investigate the prevalence of arrhythmia in patients presenting with palpitation to the paediatric emergency department of our hospital, which serves as an arrhythmia centre and to share the principles of their management. Method: Patients presenting with palpitations were retrospectively reviewed. Those diagnosed with arrhythmias received appropriate emergency interventions. Cardiac electrophysiological studies and ablation were performed when indicated. Results: Among 534 paediatric patients evaluated for palpitations, 140 (26.2%) were diagnosed with arrhythmias requiring antiarrhythmic treatment (Group 1). Within this group, 61 patients described palpitations lasting longer than one hour and/or heart rates too rapid to count, compared to only 35 patients in the not requiring antiarrhythmic treatment group (Group 2) ( p < 0.001). Group 1 also demonstrated significantly higher rates of isolated palpitations (a single episode without accompanying symptoms or recurrent occurrences), recurrent palpitations, and palpitations ongoing at the time of paediatric emergency department admission (all p < 0.001). Conclusions: Our study supports that, as in adults, the probability of arrhythmia increases in children when palpitations persist for more than an hour, occur at an uncountable rapid rate, present as isolated or recurrent episodes, or continue at the time of admission. This data highlights the importance of taking a detailed medical history once again. To our knowledge, this is one of the few studies to comprehensively examine both the acute management and long-term outcomes of arrhythmia in children, including the role of ablation therapy, making it a potentially valuable contribution to the existing literature.

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