Deceleration and acceleration capacity in children with mitral valve prolapse

  • Dr Krzysztof Czyz, Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland, Poland
  • Prof Waldemar Bobkowski, Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland, Poland
  • Dr Przemyslaw Guzik, Department of Cardiology and Intensive Therapy, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland, Poland
  • Dr Tomasz Krauze, Department of Cardiology and Intensive Therapy, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland, Poland
  • Dr Jaroslaw Piskorski, Institute of Physics, University of Zielona Gora, Poland, Poland
  • Dr Rafal Surmacz, Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland, Poland
  • Prof Aldona Siwinska, Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland, Poland

    • INTRODUCTION: Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a common cardiovascular abnormality in children. It is suggested that MVP can be accompanied by some autonomic abnormalities. Deceleration capacity and acceleration capacity are two, newly recognized ECG-derived descriptors of autonomic modulation of cardiovascular system. Both deceleration and acceleration capacity have been shown to predict mortality in survivors after myocardial infarction. Deceleration and acceleration capacity has not been evaluated in children with MVP so far.
    AIM: Comparison of deceleration and acceleration capacity in children with MVP and in healthy children.
    METHODS: 43 children with MVP (29 girls; age±SD: 13.3 ± 3.5 years) and 52 healthy children (28 girls; age±SD: 13.8 ± 2.7 years) were examined. The chest ECG (Porti 5, TMSI, The Netherlands) was recorded at rest in a recumbent position for 30 minutes in children breathing spontaneously. Deceleration capacity and acceleration capacity were calculated by means of phase rectified signal averaging. Comparisons were made using the Mann-Whitney U test. A probability value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
    RESULTS: There was not significant reduction in deceleration capacity (19.8±1.8 vs 25.1±2.0 ms; p=0.090) and acceleration capacity (-18.3±1.5 vs -22.7±1.6 ms; p=0.092) in children with MVP as compared with the control group.
    CONCLUSION: Both deceleration capacity and acceleration capacity are similar in children with MVP and in healthy children.