Evaluation of the importance of QT dispersion in children with syncope

Aım: Syncope is a temporarily loss of consciousness which coexists with loss of posture and tonus and resolves spotaneously. In our study, we aimed to investigate the non-invasive QTd method which can easily be applied to patients with syncope complaints and whether it can be used as a predictor for syncope type, arrhytmia, sudden dead and the recurrence risk. Materıals And Methods: In our study, QT dispersion was viewed on ECG and compared in 50 patients whom applied to Dicle University Medical Faculty, Department of Child Health and Diseases and Department of Pediatric Cardiology with syncope complaints and in 50 patients as control group. Patients' genders, ages, ECHOs, standing and sitting blood pressure values, hematocrit values, electrolytes, liver function tests, kidney function tests, ECG QT and QTcd were viewed. The investigation of the recurrence risk of the syncope, arrhythmia, and sudden death by calculating the QT dispersion in ECG was planned. The ones who have additional disease that might cause syncope were excluded from the study. Fındıngs: 52 patients, consisting of 28 men (53.8%), 24 girls (46.2) who appeal to us with syncope complaint were taken part into the study. The average age of first syncope of the patients whose ages ranged between 7-17 years was13.9 ± 2.4. Patients follow-up periods ranged from 5 to 18 months and the average was 10 ± 5 months. The average number of syncope at the first application was 2.8 ± 2.2. 50 healthy children were taken part into control group and 22 (% 44) of these were girls, and 28 (% 56) were boys. The mean age was13.8 ± 2.3 years and the age range was 11-17 years. The values of the QTd (72 ± 46 ms) and QTcd (77 ± 45 ms) in our patients who appeal with syncope complaint were found significantly longer than the QTd (34 ± 14 ms) and QTcd (33 ± 14 ms) in control group (p<0.001). In syncope classification that carried out according to results of diagnostics tests applied to patients, no statistically significant differences were found between the groups in age, gender, and dispersion (p> 0.05). In the classification which was made according to tilt test and number of syncopes in first application of the patients, no statistically significant differences were found between the groups in age, gender, anddispersion (p> 0.05). Discussion: In this study, it is determined that QT dispersion and QTc dispersion of children and adolescents with syncopes has significantly prolonged but this had no significant consequences on the syncope recurrence. It was defined that tilt test results were not effective on the recurrence process. It was determined that patients were getting critically better by only appealing to doctor and doctors recommendations.. In follow-ups, preventive precautions that can be taken in daily life and patient education should be more emphasized, and it should be noted that medical treatment can be applied, ifnecessary. KeyWords: Children, syncope, QT dispersion, recurrence