Abstract

Objective: Symptoms such as palpitations, chest pain and syncope, which are among the worrying complaints for
patients and their families can be the precursor of heart rhythm disorders. Electrocardiography (ECG) is sometimes
insufficient in the diagnosis of underlying serious rhythm disorders. The aim of our study was to present 24-hour Holter
monitoring examination results in pediatric patients presenting with palpitations, chest pain and syncope.


Material and Methods: Anamnesis, physical examination findings, ECG, echocardiography (ECHO) and 24-hour Holter recordings of 450 children, who were admitted to our clinic between January 2016 and January 2018 with palpitations, chest pain
and syncope were evaluated retrospectively.

Results: Of 450 patients included in this study, 240 (53.3%) were female and 210 (46.6%) were male. The ages of the patients ranged
between 3-18 years (11.9±4.1). According to complaints of the patients, palpitation, chest pain and syncope were present in 220 (48.8%),
170 (37.7%) and 60 (13.1%) cases, respectively. When ECGs of the patients were evaluated, the frequency of arrhythmias was 6.6%
(30/450): 9 patients had supraventricular ectopic beats (SVE) and 21 patients had ventricular extrasystoles (VES). Congenital or acquired
heart diseases were detected with ECHO in 64 (14.9%) of the patients. Eighteen (28%) of 64 patients with pathological ECHO findings had
arrhythmias. In 24-hour Holter recordings, the frequency of total arrhythmias was found to be 34.6% (156/450); SVE, VES, SVT and VT
were seen in 65, 84, 3 and 4 patients, respectively. The incidence of arrhythmia was significantly higher in patients with syncope (51.6%)
than palpitations (31.3%) and chest pain (32.9%).

Conclusion: In children with palpitations, chest pain and syncope, sometimes the underlying cause can not be detected clearly with history
taking, physical examination and ECG. Therefore in this condition, we thought that it

Keywords: Arrhythmia, Chest pain,, Child

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How to cite

1.
Yılmaz H, Şap F, Güneş M, Ünal E, Oflaz MB, Baysal T. Holter Records in Children with Palpitation, Chest Pain and Syncope: Single Center Experience. Turk J Pediatr Dis [Internet]. 2021 May 25 [cited 2025 May 25];15(3):192-7. Available from: https://turkjpediatrdis.org/article/view/786