Postnatal course and long-term prognosis of fetal tachycardia

  • Dr Yasuki Maeno, Department of Pediatrics, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan
  • Dr Akiko Hirose, Department of Pediatrics, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan
  • Dr Hiroshi Nishino, Department of Pediatrics, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan
  • Dr Shintaro Kishimoto, Department of Pediatrics, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan
  • Dr Motofumi Iemura, Department of Pediatrics, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan
  • Dr Kenji Suda, Department of Pediatrics, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan
  • Dr Toyojiro Matsuishi, Department of Pediatrics, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan

    • Effective pre-natal treatment was reported in the fetal tachycardia. However, postnatal course and long-term prognosis is not well understood. Some of the infants with atrioventricuar reentrant tachycardia are known to have recurrence after about several years. Objective: We examined the postnatal course of tachycardia started at prenatal period.
    Subjective: From 22 cases with fetal tachycardia during 25 years from 1983 to 2007, 21 cases (supra ventricular tachycardia (SVT), 7 cases; atrial flutter (AFL), 8 cases, others 6 cases) were included. Postnatal course were collected from the hospital chart or phone call.
    Results: Follow-up period is ranging from 1 month to 23 years (median 7.0 years). Of the 8 cases with fetal AFL, no case had AFL during postnatal period or follow-up period. Of the 7 cases with fetal PSVT, 5 cases had PSVT during neonatal period and 4 of them were refractory cases requiring multiple medication. Two cases had recurrent PSVT after 10 and 13 years, respectively. Of the other 6 cases, one died at neonatal period, and another still require medication at the last follow-up in 18 years old.
    Conclusions: Fetal PSVT requires special attention at postnatal period and during follow-up period.