Prevalence of Cardiac Disease Is Low in Infants with Apparent Life-Threatening Events

Electrocardiogram has high sensitivity but low specificity for identifying significant cardiac disease.

Apparent life-threatening events (ALTEs) are sudden distressful episodes in infants that are characterized by apnea, choking or gagging, cyanosis, pallor, altered muscle tone, abnormal movements, or altered mental status. Researchers examined the association between cardiac disease and ALTEs and the yield of cardiac testing in a retrospective chart review of 485 infants (age <12 months; mean age, 1.9 months) admitted for unexplained ALTEs to a large medical center in Utah.

During follow-up (mean, 7.7 years), 20 patients (4%) with cardiac abnormalities were identified. Fifteen infants had cardiac diagnoses identified at initial evaluation of ALTE, but only 2 of these infants were diagnosed with significant cardiac disease (Wolff-Parkinson Whi…

Reviewing Author

F. Bruder Stapleton, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardCareer Physician

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society of Pediatric Nephrology Foundation (Chair)

F. Bruder Stapleton, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardCareer Physician

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society of Pediatric Nephrology Foundation (Chair)