ALTEs: New Information About Diagnosis and Follow-Up

Toxicology screens and close follow-up of patients might help clinicians diagnose underlying causes.

An apparent life-threatening event (ALTE; an alarming episode characterized by some combination of apnea [central or obstructive], color change [cyanotic or pallid], marked change in muscle tone, choking, or gagging) in a child creates a diagnostic challenge for clinicians. In a study from Pittsburgh, researchers evaluated 596 infants (mean age, 2.6 months) with ALTEs; 274 infants underwent toxicology screens. Of the 50 screens that were positive, 23 were considered to be clinically significant (a drug that is associated with apnea was identified). Most of the identified drugs, such as ephedrine and dextromethorphan, are components of over-the-counter (OTC) cold preparations.

In a second study, investigators from Utah followed 471 infants (m…

Reviewing Author

Howard Bauchner, MD

Disclosures

Grant / research supportHuman Resources and Services Administration; NIH; NIH-NHLBI; USDA; GlaxoSmithKline

Editorial boardsArchives of Disease in Childhood (Editor-in-Chief)

Howard Bauchner, MD

Disclosures

Grant / research supportHuman Resources and Services Administration; NIH; NIH-NHLBI; USDA; GlaxoSmithKline

Editorial boardsArchives of Disease in Childhood (Editor-in-Chief)