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Normal values of signal-averaged electrocardiographic parameters and QT dispersion in infants and children

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 August 2008

Emmanuelle Vialle ,
Rim Albalkhi ,
Marc Zimmerman  and
Béat Friedli
Emmanuelle Vialle
Affiliation:
Hôpital cantonal universitaire, Unit of Pediatric Cardiology, Geneve, Switzerland
Rim Albalkhi
Affiliation:
Hôpital cantonal universitaire, Unit of Pediatric Cardiology, Geneve, Switzerland
Marc Zimmerman
Affiliation:
Hôpital cantonal universitaire, Unit of Pediatric Cardiology, Geneve, Switzerland
Béat Friedli*
Affiliation:
Cardiology Division, Geneve, Switzerland
*
Béat Friedli, M.D., Hôpital cantonal universitaire, Unité de Cardiologie Pédiatrique, 1211 GENEVE 14, Switzerland. Tel: 41 22 382 45 80; Fax: 41 22 382 46 24 ; E-mail: beat.friedli@hcuge.ch
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Abstract

Ventricular late potentials, and dispersion of the QT interval, are markers for risk of ventricular arrhythmias. Normal values for these parameters are well established in adults, but may not apply for children. This study has investigated the age dependency of signal averaged electrocardiographic parameters and QT dispersion in 111 normal children aged from 5 days to 16 years. The results indicate that parameters change with age: duration of filtered QRS and low amplitude (< 40 μV) terminal signal increase with age, especially in the younger patients. Filtered QRS is 88.9 ± 7.87 ms in infants, and increases to 108.7 ± 8.51 in teenagers (p<0.001). Low amplitude terminal signals are 17.0 ± 3.44 ms in infants, and 24.5 ± 5.64 ms in teenagers (p< 0.001). Root mean square of the last 40 ms decreases with age, but remains stable after the age of 10 years (122.4 ± 33.30 μV in infants, 60.9 ± 31.27 in teenagers,p<0.001). QT dispersion, on the other hand, does not change significantly with age. The mean value for the whole group is 36 ± 13.7 ms. A weak but significant correlation exists between QT dispersion and filtered QRS. Thus, age must be taken into consideration when interpreting signal-averaged electrocardiograms, but not when measuring QT dispersion.

Keywords

QT dispersionsignal-averaged electrocardiogramarrhythmias in the young
Type
Original Articles
Information
Cardiology in the Young , Volume 9 , Issue 6 , November 1999 , pp. 556 - 561
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1999

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