RECURRENT VENTRICULAR-TACHYCARDIA IN ASYMPTOMATIC YOUNG-CHILDREN WITHAN APPARENTLY NORMAL HEART

Ventricular tachycardia without underlying heart disease is rare in in fancy and childhood. Four young children (median age 8 months at initi al presentation) with frequently recurrent episodes of asymptomatic an d self-limiting ventricular tachycardia are reported. By noninvasive i nvestigation no apparent heart disease has been found in all patients, Initially three of the four children had been treated with an anti-ar rhythmic drug. Treatment was soon stopped in two patients for lack of symptoms and for lack of efficacy of therapy; one patient remained on beta-blocker therapy, One child did not receive anti-arrhythmic therap y. After a mean follow up of 32 months all patients continued to be as ymptomatic despite frequently recurrent episodes of self-limiting vent ricular tachycardia. Conclusion Ventricular tachycardia in asymptomati c children with an otherwise normal heart carries a good prognosis. In vasive investigation (cardiac catheterization with electrophysiologica l study and right ventricular biopsy) can be withhold, as long as ther e are no symptoms, For lack of efficiency of anti-arrhythmic drugs in suppressing ventricular tachycardia in asymptomatic children with appa rently normal hearts, these patients map be left without therapy but h ave to be followed closely.