The Evaluation of Electrocardiography Parameters Changes in Breath‐Holding Children Compared to Controls

Background Breath-holding spells (BHS) are brief periods when young children stop breathing for up to 1 minute and are widely recognized types of non-epileptic severe occasions in early stages of childhood. This study aimed to evaluate QTd and QTc changes in children with breath-holding spells compared with healthy children. Materials and Methods This case-control study was conducted to evaluate ECG parameters' changes in 90 children with breath-holding spells compared to 90 healthy children, who were included as controls, without any breath - holding in pediatric neurology clinic of Ali Asghar Hospital of Medical Sciences, University of Zahedan (ZaUMS), Iran, in 2018. Electrocardiography measures were measured from 12-lead surface electrocardiograms of the patients and the control group. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 18.0. Results In the study there were 46 (51.1%), and 35(38.9%) females in controls and Breath Holding patients, respectively. QT max (p=0.002), S in V1 (p <0.001), R in V5 (p <0.001), R in aVL (p <0.001), S in V3 (p=0.002), LV mass (p <0.001), QTd (p <0.001), QTc max (p <0.001), and QTcd (p <0.001) were different in patients compared to controls, significantly (p <0.05). QTd (p <0.001), QTc max (p=0.03), and QTcd (p <0.001) were higher in pallid attacks, significantly. QT max (p=0.039), and QT min (p=0.039) were different in boys and girls so that QT max and QT min were higher in girls. Conclusion From the present study it can be concluded that QT, QTc, QTd and QTcd were higher in BHS. QTd, QTc max and QTcd were higher in pallid and QT max and QT min were higher in girls. However, in spite of what is reported in some studies, we suggest that obtaining ECG parameters is necessary to assess rhythm abnormality in children with BHS.