Supraventricular tachycardias in neonates and infants: factors associated with fatal or near-fatal outcome

Abstract

Prognosis of supraventricular tachycardias in neonates and infants is thought to be excellent with rare fatal outcomes. Nevertheless, initial management can be challenging. The aim of this study was to perform a retrospective analysis in neonates/infants with non-pos-toperative supraventricular tachycardias regarding risk factors for clinical outcome and type of antiarrhythmic drug therapy. The data of 157 patients aged < 1 year who presented between 2000 and 2015 with symptomatic tachycardias were retrospectively reviewed. Pharmacological therapy was successful in 151 patients (96%); 1 patient (1%) required catheter ablation and 5 patients (3%) died (1 death linked to hemodynamical reasons after effective arrhythmia control). Serious complications following acute medical therapy occurred in 4 patients of survivors. Patients with complications or death had a lower bodyweight, more frequent intrauterine tachycardia, transplacental therapy, urgent caesarian section, higher PRISM II score, longer period to control tachycardia, more frequent proarrhythmia, and major adverse event-defined as life-threatening event without a documented new arrhythmia-compared to the group without complications. There was no significant difference between the groups regarding prematurity, structural heart disease, and type of tachycardia. Proarrhythmia occurred in 6 cases and was related to intravenous drug use with class IC antiarrhythmics in 3/6 cases, digoxin in 2/6 cases, and amiodarone in 1/6 cases. ECG signs of impending proarrhythmia without new-onset arrhythmia requiring cessation of therapy were detected in 6 patients.Conclusion: Although rare, non-post-operative supraventricular tachycardia in neonates and infants might be a serious disease. Acute intravenous pharmacological treatment to control tachycardia might pose a risk for fatal or near-fatal outcome. Detection of proarrhythmia related to class IC antiarrhythmics in neonates might be especially difficult and requires alertness. What is Known • Prognosis of supraventricular tachycardias in children are thought to be excellent with fatal outcomes being rare. • Mortality is increased in the very young and in those with structural heart disease. What is New • Complicated outcome of non-post-operative supraventricular tachycardias in neonates is associated with lower bodyweight, age, prenatal tachycardia, higher PRISM II score, longer period to control tachycardia, and proarrhythmia. • Detection of class IC proarrhythmic effect is especially difficult in neonates because of their narrow QRS and warrants alertness.

Keywords: Case series; Communicated by Daniele De Luca; Mortality; Neonate; Proarrhythmia; Prognosis; Tachycardia.