Fetus with long QT syndrome manifested by tachyarrhythmia: A case report

We encountered a fetus who exhibited transient (at most 30 s), repeated epi sodes of tachyarrhythmia (240 bpm). This female neonate was born at 36 week s of gestation and showed a markedly prolonged QT interval and transient, r epeated episodes of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. Congenital long QT syndrome was diagnosed. Retrospective analysis of the videotape showing fe tal cardiac movement revealed that atrio-ventricular dissociation was prese nt prenatally and thus, the fetal tachyarrhythmia was due to ventricular ta chycardia. To our knowledge, there are few reports of a fetus with the long QT syndrome who exhibited ventricular tachycardia in utero. In the presenc e of unexplained fetal tachyarrhythmia, long QT syndrome should be consider ed as a possible underlying cause disorder. The presence of atrio-ventricul ar dissociation may be useful in prenatal diagnosis of long QT syndrome. Co pyright (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.