Peter S. Fischbach

Electrocardiographic interpretation in athletes: the ‘Seattle Criteria’

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is the leading cause of death in athletes during sport. Whether obtained for screening or diagnostic purposes, an ECG increases the ability to detect underlying cardiovascular conditions that may increase the risk for SCD. In most countries, there is a shortage of physician expertise in the interpretation of an athletes ECG. A critical need exists for physician education in modern ECG interpretation that distinguishes normal physiological adaptations in athletes from abnormal findings suggestive of pathology. On 13–14 February 2012, an international group of experts in sports cardiology and sports medicine convened in Seattle, Washington, to define contemporary standards for ECG interpretation in athletes. The objective of the meeting was to develop a comprehensive training resource to help physicians distinguish normal ECG alterations in athletes from abnormal ECG findings that require additional evaluation for conditions associated with SCD.

Prospective assessment after pediatric cardiac ablation: demographics, medical profiles, and initial outcomes.

Introduction: A multicenter prospective study was designed and implemented to assess the short‐ and longer‐term results and risks associated with radiofrequency (RF) ablation in children.

Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Therapy for Life-Threatening Arrhythmias in Young Patients

AbstractObjectives: This study examined the indications, efficacy and outcomes of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) use in the pediatric population. Background: ICDs are first-line therapy for adults resuscitated from sudden cardiac death (SCD) or at high risk for life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. Use of ICDs in children and young adults is infrequent and there are few data regarding this group. Methods: We abstracted and analyzed data for all patients in whom ICDs were implanted. Results: A total of 38 devices were implanted in 27 patients. Age ranged from 6 to 26 years (mean, 14) and weight ranged from 16 to 124 kg (mean, 47). Diagnoses included long QT syndrome (9), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy [6], repaired congenital heart disease [5];, and idiopathic ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation [4]. Indications comprised resuscitated SCD [15], syncope [9], and life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia [3]. Initial device placement was infraclavicular in 13, abdominal in 13 and intrathoracic in 1. Epicardial leads were used with 5 systems. A single coil lead was used in 17. Seven patients, all previously resuscitated from SCD, experienced 88 appropriate successful discharges. There were 6 inappropriate discharges in 3 patients. Mean time to device replacement was 3.1 years (n = 11). Complications included 2 infected systems, 2 lead dislodgments, 2 lead fractures, 1 post-pericardiotomy syndrome, 1 adverse event with defibrillation threshold (DFT); testing, and 1 patient with psychiatric sequelae. No deaths occurred with implanted ICDs. Conclusions: These data demonstrate that ICDs provide safe and effective therapy in young patients. The indications for ICDs as primary preventive therapy remain uncertain.

Normal electrocardiographic findings: recognising physiological adaptations in athletes

Electrocardiographic changes in athletes are common and usually reflect benign structural and electrical remodelling of the heart as a physiological adaptation to regular and sustained physical training (athletes heart). The ability to identify an abnormality on the 12-lead ECG, suggestive of underlying cardiac disease associated with sudden cardiac death (SCD), is based on a sound working knowledge of the normal ECG characteristics within the athletic population. This document will assist physicians in identifying normal ECG patterns commonly found in athletes. The ECG findings presented as normal in athletes were established by an international consensus panel of experts in sports cardiology and sports medicine.

Abnormal electrocardiographic findings in athletes: recognising changes suggestive of cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathies are a heterogeneous group of heart muscle diseases and collectively are the leading cause of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in young athletes. The 12-lead ECG is utilised as both a screening and diagnostic tool for detecting conditions associated with SCD. Fundamental to the appropriate evaluation of athletes undergoing ECG is an understanding of the ECG findings that may indicate the presence of an underlying pathological cardiac disorder. This article describes ECG findings present in cardiomyopathies afflicting young athletes and outlines appropriate steps for further evaluation of these ECG abnormalities. The ECG findings defined as abnormal in athletes were established by an international consensus panel of experts in sports cardiology and sports medicine.

Abnormal electrocardiographic findings in athletes: recognising changes suggestive of primary electrical disease

Cardiac channelopathies are potentially lethal inherited arrhythmia syndromes and an important cause of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in young athletes. Other cardiac rhythm and conduction disturbances also may indicate the presence of an underlying cardiac disorder. The 12-lead ECG is utilised as both a screening and a diagnostic tool for detecting conditions associated with SCD. Fundamental to the appropriate evaluation of athletes undergoing ECG is an understanding of the ECG findings that may indicate the presence of a pathological cardiac disease. This article describes ECG findings present in primary electrical diseases afflicting young athletes and outlines appropriate steps for further evaluation of these ECG abnormalities. The ECG findings defined as abnormal in athletes were established by an international consensus panel of experts in sports cardiology and sports medicine.

Abnormal electrocardiographic findings in athletes

Cardiomyopathies are a heterogeneous group of heart muscle diseases and collectively are the leading cause of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in young athletes. The 12-lead ECG is utilised as both a screening and diagnostic tool for detecting conditions associated with SCD. Fundamental to the appropriate evaluation of athletes undergoing ECG is an understanding of the ECG findings that may indicate the presence of an underlying pathological cardiac disorder. This article describes ECG findings present in cardiomyopathies afflicting young athletes and outlines appropriate steps for further evaluation of these ECG abnormalities. The ECG findings defined as abnormal in athletes were established by an international consensus panel of experts in sports cardiology and sports medicine.

The clinical course of multifocal atrial tachycardia in infants and children

OBJECTIVES This study outlines the clinical course, treatment and the late outcome of infants and children with multifocal atrial tachycardia (MAT). BACKGROUND Multifocal atrial tachycardia is defined by three distinct P-waveforms, irregular P-P intervals, isoelectric baseline between P-waves and rapid rate on an electrocardiogram. Several smaller prior reports have described pediatric patients with MAT, but their long-term outcome has not been fully assessed. METHODS The clinical records, echocardiograms and long-term follow-up of patients with MAT were reviewed and compared to previous reports of MAT. RESULTS Fourteen boys and seven girls (median age 1.8 months) presented with MAT. At diagnosis, six patients had respiratory illness, of whom two were critical. Ten were asymptomatic. Seven patients had structural heart disease (SHD), one of whom died. Four of 15 patients (27%) with echocardiograms had diminished ventricular function. Ventricular rates were 111 to 253 beats/min (mean 181 beats/min). Median duration of the arrhythmia was 4.9 months (mean 6.7 months). Electrical cardioversion was attempted in 4 patients without success and 15 patients received antiarrhythmic medication. Seventeen patients were followed for a mean of 60 months. Four patients were lost to follow-up. There were no late arrhythmias. CONCLUSIONS The majority of children with MAT are healthy infants under one year of age; a few may exhibit mild to life-threatening cardiorespiratory disease. Less often, MAT accompanies SHD. Mild ventricular dysfunction may be observed in the presence of MAT, but symptoms are few and resolution is generally complete. Response to antiarrhythmic agents is mixed, and cardioversion is of no avail. Finally, long-term cardiovascular and developmental outcome depends principally on underlying condition; for otherwise healthy children, it is excellent.

Radiofrequency Ablation for Supraventricular Tachycardia in Children ≤15 kg Is Safe and Effective

Risks associated with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) have been reported to be increased in children ≤15 kg. We sought to compare the safety and efficacy of RFA in children <15 kg with those between 15.1 and 20 kg. Clinical, electrophysiologic, and RFA data for all patients ≤20 kg who underwent RFA for supraventricular tachycardia between January 1994 and January 2003 were reviewed. Patients were divided into those ≤15 kg (group 1, n = 25) and those between 15.1 and 20 kg (group 2, n = 44). The two groups differed significantly in age and weight by design (group 1: mean weight, 11.9 ± 3.0 kg; age, 2.8 ± 1.9 years; group 2: weight, 18.0 ± 1.5 kg; age, 5.1 ± 1.1 years). There were no significant differences in other baseline characteristics except for incidence of structural heart disease (28% group 1 vs 7% group 2, p < 0.01). No significant differences in mechanism of tachycardia, arrhythmia cycle length, number of total and brief RFA applications, total RFA time, average and maximum RFA temperatures, total procedure duration, short-term success rate (96% group 1 vs 86% group 2, p = 0.17), long-term success rate (91% group 1 vs 89% group 2, p = 0.76), or major complications (8.0% group 1 vs 2.3% group 2, p = 0.39) were found. There were no procedure-related deaths in either group. These data suggest that, in two large volume electrophysiology centers, the procedural risks and outcomes of RFA are similar between patients weighing less than 15 kg and those between 15.1 and 20 kg.

Early and delayed atrioventricular conduction block after routine surgery for congenital heart disease

OBJECTIVES Patients undergoing surgical closure of ventricular septal defects are at risk for immediate or delayed atrioventricular conduction block. Our goal was to better define the incidence of delayed atrioventricular conduction block. METHODS A retrospective review was conducted of hospital records and pacemaker database for ventricular septal defect, atrioventricular canal, and tetralogy of Fallot repairs between 1999 and 2004. A total of 922 patients were identified (atrioventricular canal in 197, tetralogy of Fallot in 222, and ventricular septal defect in 503). Median follow-up was 4.1 years. RESULTS There were 472 male and 450 female patients, median age 6 months (0-444 months) and median weight 5.8 kg (1.3-116 kg) at surgery. Postoperative atrioventricular conduction block developed in 21 (2.3%) of the 922, being transient, with return of conduction 3 days (1-14 days) after surgery, in 13 (1.4%) and permanent, with pacemakers implanted 10 days (6-20 days) after surgery, in 8 (0.9%). Of the 905 patients at risk for delayed atrioventricular conduction block, 3 (0.3%) had second- or third-degree block at 2, 8, and 16 months after surgery. Two of these 3 had transient postoperative block. For isolated ventricular septal defects, the incidence was 1 (0.2%) of 496. There were 8 late deaths at 31 months (7-45 months) after surgery. Five had normal conduction at death, but for 3 patients the conduction status at death could not be determined. Including these 3 patients as possible cases of delayed atrioventricular block yields an incidence of 0.3% to 0.7%. CONCLUSIONS The incidence of early atrioventricular conduction block requiring a pacemaker was 0.9% and that of delayed atrioventricular conduction block was 0.3% to 0.7%. Transient atrioventricular conduction block may be a marker for increased risk of delayed block. These data may be useful for evaluation of new techniques.