@Article{, AUTHOR = {Raya Safa, Ronald Thomas, Peter P. Karpawich}, TITLE = {Electrocardiographic early repolarization characteristics and clinical presentations in the young: a benign finding or worrisome marker for arrhythmias}, JOURNAL = {Congenital Heart Disease}, VOLUME = {12}, YEAR = {2017}, NUMBER = {1}, PAGES = {99--104}, URL = {http://www.techscience.com/chd/v12n1/38728}, ISSN = {1747-0803}, ABSTRACT = {Background: The early ECG repolarization QRS pattern (ERp), with J-point elevation of 0.1 mV in two contiguous inferior and/or lateral leads, can be associated with ventricular arrhythmias among adults. The significance of an ERp in the young is unknown.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of ERp among young patients (pts), describe and correlate the characteristics with clinical presentations and any arrhythmias.
Methods: This was a 1 y retrospective review of ECGs obtained from patients referred specifically for documented arrhythmias, possible arrhythmia-related symptoms or sports clearance. ECGs were analyzed for ERp (J-point, ascending/horizontal patterns, location) and correlated with presenting complaints.
Results: Of 301 patient ECGs, an ERp was found in 177 (59%), (pts age 11.7 ± 4.3 y); 54% male; 23% Caucasian. Of these, 6 pts had a family history of sudden cardiac death. Arrhythmias (72% atrial) occurred in 22 pts. Only 3 pts had ventricular arrhythmias (1 successfully ablated). The ascending ST segment and elevated J-point occurred in 77% and 51% of pts with and without arrhythmias respectively. In 73% of all pts, the ERp location was in inferior/lateral leads. Neither gender, ethnicity, large J-point, lead location, nor the combination of a horizontal ST segment with large J-point correlated with any arrhythmias.
Conclusions: ERp, especially the diffuse ascending pattern, is common among the young, in those of European ethnicity, found equally in both genders, and with no apparent correlation with atrial nor ventricular arrhythmias.}, DOI = {} }