We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Overuse of EEG and ECG in children with breath‐holding spells and its implication for the management of the spells.
- Authors
Hellström Schmidt, Sanna; Smedenmark, Julia; Jeremiasen, Ida; Sigurdsson, Björn; Eklund, Erik A.; Pronk, Cornelis Jan
- Abstract
Aim: Breath‐holding spells (BHS) are common in children, but evidence‐based clinical guidelines are lacking. We investigated a large population‐based cohort of BHS patients, to propose a refined description of typical BHS and guidelines for its management. Methods: In a cross‐sectional retrospective study, patients diagnosed with BHS in Southern Sweden 2004–2018 were recruited. Disease characteristics and diagnostic data were collected from patient medical records. Results: In total, 519 patients, mean age at diagnosis 19.8 ± 13.8 months with equal gender distribution, were included. In 48.3%, BHS had already been diagnosed after one spell. During spells, 78.0% of patients were unresponsive. For 71.5%, atonic, tonic, tonic–clonic or myoclonic seizures were reported, and 78.0% of patients had a spell lasting less than 1 min. Electroencephalography was conducted in 30.4% and Electrocardiography in 45.1%. Six children (3.8%) had a pathological electroencephalogram, four of which had concomitant epilepsy and only 0.9% of children had electrocardiogram findings suggesting pathology, none showing long QT syndrome. Conclusion: Children with BHS were frequently subjected to unnecessary diagnostic interventions. We characterise a typical presentation of BHS and propose a management‐algorithm, which is expected to reduce unnecessary usage of electroencephalography and electrocardiography.
- Subjects
SWEDEN; EPILEPSY; LONG QT syndrome; MYOCLONUS; ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHY; ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHY; IRON deficiency anemia
- Publication
Acta Paediatrica, 2024, Vol 113, Issue 2, p317
- ISSN
0803-5253
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/apa.17020