Cardiac Repolarization Changes in the Children with Breath-Holding Spells

Objective: Breath-holding spells are known as benign attacks, frequencies of which decrease by the development of the autonomic nervous system. The present study aims to compare the electrocardiographic repolarization in children with breath-holding spells.
Methods:In this study, QT dispersion, QTc dispersion, T peak to T end dispersion, and P wave dispersion of the twelve-lead surface electrocardiography of fifty children who had breath-holding spells were measured and compared with normal children from April 2011 to August 2012.
Findings: Forty-four (88%) patients had cyanotic spells, while 6 (12%) had pallid spells. QTc dispersion was increased in the patients with breath-holding spells (148.2±33.1) compared to the healthy children (132±27.3) and the difference was statically significant (P=0.01). Meanwhile, no statistically significant differences were observed between the patients and the control subjects regarding the other parameters (P>0.05).
Conclusion: QTc dispersion was significantly increased in the patients with breath-holding spells compared to normal children and this is a sign of cardiac repolarization abnormality as well as the increased risk of cardiac arrhythmia in patients with breath-holding spells.

Keywords
Breath-Holding Spell; Arrhythmia; Cardiomyopathy; QT Interval Dispersion; Autonomic Dysfunction