Efficacy of transtelephonic electrocardiographic monitoring in pediatric patients
M. A. Goldstein, P. Hesslein and A. Dunnigan
Department of Pediatrics, Variety Club Children's Hospital, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55404.
The results of transtelephonic electrocardiography for transient
symptomatic event recording in 61 consecutive pediatric patients (aged 4
months to 21 years) were reviewed. In 13 (21%) of 61 patients, previous
arrhythmia diagnoses had been made by electrophysiologic study; monitoring
was utilized to evaluate symptoms before or after pharmacological/surgical
therapy. Transtelephonic electrocardiography was used to study undocumented
symptomatic events consistent with an arrhythmia in the remaining 48 (79%)
of 61 patients. Adequate transmissions during symptoms were obtained in 36
(59%) of 61 patients. Goals of monitoring were achieved in all 13 patients
with previous diagnoses. Of the 25 of 48 patients without prior diagnoses
who provided transmissions during symptoms, 15 had sinus rhythm, while 10
manifested an arrhythmia. Abnormal transmissions were most common in
patients with palpitations and never evident in patients with symptoms of
chest pain.
