Aberrated supraventricular tachycardia associated with neonatal fever and COVID-19 infection. Issue 4 (30th April 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hopkins, Kali A; Webster, Gregory
• Is Part Of: BMJ case reports. Volume 14:Issue 4(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-04-30
• Subjects: arrhythmias -- pacing and electrophysiology -- COVID-19 -- paediatrics; Medicine -- Case studies -- Periodicals; 610.5
• DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2021-241846
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1757-790X

Abstract

Abstract : A 9-day-old girl presented during the 2020 SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in wide-complex tachycardia with acute, symptomatic COVID-19 infection. Because the potential cardiac complications of COVID-19 were unknown at the time of her presentation, we chose to avoid the potential risks of haemodynamic collapse associated with afterload reduction from adenosine. Instead, a transoesophageal pacing catheter was placed. Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) with an aberrated QRS morphology was diagnosed and the catheter was used to pace-terminate tachycardia. This presentation illustrates that the haemodynamic consequences of a concurrent infection with largely unknown neonatal sequelae present a potentially high-risk situation for pharmacologic conversion. Oesophageal cannulation can be used to diagnose and terminate infantile SVT.