Serial electrocardiographic changes in healthy and stressed neonates. Issue 8 (August 1983)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jedeikin, R; Primhak, A; Shennan, A T; Swyer, P R; Rowe, R D
• Is Part Of: Archives of disease in childhood. Volume 58:Issue 8(1983)
• Page Start: 605
• Page End: 611
• Publication Date: 1983-08
• Subjects: Children -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Infants -- Diseases -- Periodicals; 618.920005
• DOI: 10.1136/adc.58.8.605
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0003-9888

Abstract

Abstract : Serial changes in T-wave vector and polarity were assessed in 162 electrocardiograms, 117 from 44 healthy term neonates and 45 from 17 stressed neonates. Records were taken at 5 to 8 hours, 24 to 33 hours, and 71 to 96 hours after birth. Sequential changes in both T-wave amplitude and frontal and horizontal axes were found in both groups. A lag period was noted between healthy and stressed infants when comparing changes in T-wave amplitude, with greater flattening of T-waves for longer periods of time after birth in the stressed group. The normal changes in T-wave axis over time in the horizontal and frontal planes showed a similar lag in the stressed group. Alterations of T-wave amplitude and axis alone may be markers of myocardial ischaemia in neonates but are only reliable signs after the first 24 hours of life.