Abstract
Between Sept 1982 and Oct 1984, we diagnosed premature ventricular contractions(PVCs) in 9 newborns and infants (3M/6F). CXRs were obtained in 6 patients(pts) and echocardiograms were performed in 8 pts. 7 pts were judged to have an otherwise normal heart while 1 pt was found to have a small VSD and another had mild peripheral PS. 24-hour Holter monitor recordings in 7 pts revealed frequent or infrequent uniform PVCs, infrequent multiform PVCs, uniform ventricular couplets, accelerated ventricular rhythm, and non-sustained uniform ventricular tachycardia. Frequent uniform PVCs were present in 6 pts and were completely suppressed during sinus tachycardia in 5/6. 1 pt was treated with propanolol (PR) which decreased but did not completely eliminate the PVCs. None of the other pts has received any antiarrhythmic treatment. Follow-up in these pts has ranged from 1 to 25 mos with a mean follow-up of 10.2 mos. At each pt's most recent follow-up examination, PVCs were still present. All pts are alive and well and none have ever had any symptoms either at the time of initial diagnosis or during subsequent follow-up. We conclude that: 1)PVCs in newborns and infants with otherwise normal hearts are benign; & 2) antiarrhythmic treatment is unnecessary and does not influence an already excellent prognosis. We therefore recommend that newborns and infants discovered to have PVCs and no (or trivial)underlying heart disease be followed but not treated with antiarrhythmic drugs.
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Beder, S., Sivakoff, M. PROGNOSIS OF NEWBORNS AND INFANTS WITH PREMATURE VENTRICULAR CONTRACTIONS. Pediatr Res 21 (Suppl 4), 186 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198704010-00118
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198704010-00118