[Transesophageal electrophysiological study in non sedated children younger than 11 years with a Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome]

Advanced Cardiac Signal Recording

Implantable loop recorders allow prolonged and continuous single-lead electrocardiogram recording, with the pivotal addition of remote monitoring. They have significantly shortened time to electrocardiographic diagnosis and appropriate therapy of many bradyarrhythmias/tachyarrhythmias and proved helpful in arrhythmia burden definition, offering invaluable information in the diagnostic workup for syncope and atrial fibrillation. Advanced cardiac signal recording is also possible by transesophageal catheters. They have been used to orient diagnosis during wide and narrow QRS complex tachycardias and also to perform minimally invasive pacing. Intracardiac electrophysiologic study remains, however, essential for diagnosis of several arrhythmias in the perspective of curative catheter ablation.

The association between HERG gene expression and cardiac arrhythmia disease in children

We explored the possible link between the expression of HERG gene and cardiomyopathy in children. From April 2013 to April 2015, 73 children with cardiac arrhythmia who were treated were enrolled in the present study to serve as the observation group. At the same time, 76 normal individuals were also enrolled as the control group. HERG expression level in the observation group was compared with the control group. To determine the level of HERG gene expression we used fluorescent directional PCR, enzyme immunoassay and western blot analysis. The results showed that HERG mRNA level in the observation group was significantly higher than that of the control group. The level of HERG protein in the observation group was significantly higher as well. In the observation group, HERG expression gradually increased with time during the course of the disease. This result suggested that HERG gene expression was associated with the severity of cardiac arrhythmia in children. HERG expression may be the cause of deterioration in cardiomyopathy. The results have provided a theoretical and practical basis for the diagnosis and treatment of children cardiomyopathy. Thus, we established a correlation between HERG expression and cardiac arrhythmia in children.