ARTICLE
Developmental Aspects of Long QT Syndrome Type 3 and Brugada Syndrome on the Basis of a Single SCN5A Mutation in Childhood
Gertie C.M. Beaufort-Krol, MD, PhD*,
Maarten P. van den Berg, MD, PhD ,
Arthur A.M. Wilde, MD, PhD ,
J. Peter van Tintelen, MD ,
Jan Willem Viersma, MD, PhD ,
Connie R. Bezzina, PhD ,|| and
Margreet Th.E. Bink-Boelkens, MD, PhD*,*
* Beatrix Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatric Cardiology
University Hospital, Department of Cardiology
Clinical Genetics, Groningen, the Netherlands
Experimental and Molecular Cardiology Group
|| Department of Clinical Genetics, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Manuscript received October 15, 2004;
revised manuscript received March 22, 2005,
accepted March 29, 2005.
* Reprint requests and correspondence: Dr. Margreet Th.E. Bink-Boelkens, Beatrix Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Hanzeplein 1, P.O. Box 30001, 9700 RB Groningen, the Netherlands (Email: m.t.e.bink{at}bkk.umcg.nl).
OBJECTIVES: The aim was to investigate at what age electrocardiographic characteristics of long QT syndrome type 3 (LQT3) and Brugada syndrome (BS), based on a single SNC5A mutation, appear.
BACKGROUND: The QT interval (QT) in LQT3 is prolonged during bradycardia. It is not clear yet if this is obvious in young children with a relative fast heart rate (HR).
METHODS: Thirty-six children with an SNC5A gene mutation (1795insD) and 46 non-carrier siblings were investigated. In different age groups, HR, QT, QTc, and ST-segment elevation on a 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG), and HR, QT, QTc, and QT after the longest pause in a Holter (recording) were evaluated.
RESULTS: In all age groups, HR at rest tended to be lower in carriers than in non-carriers, and QT was longer in carriers than in non-carriers. The Brugada phenotype was found >5 years. Gender specific differences were not identified. The QT at lower HR and QT were longer in carriers than in non-carriers. A QTc of 0.44 s at the lowest HR (sensitivity 100%; specificity 88.4%) and QT 60 ms (sensitivity 100%; specificity 82.6%) were good predictors for having LQT3.
CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that electrocardiographic characteristics of LQT3 and BS show age-dependent penetrance. A QT prolongation and conduction disease were present from birth onwards, whereas ST-segment elevation only developed >5 years. Good tools for clinical diagnosis of LQT3 in this family are QTc at the lowest HR and QT after a pause in a Holter, even at very young age.
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Abbreviations and Acronyms
| | AP = action potential | | BS = Brugada syndrome | | ECG = electrocardiogram | | HR = heart rate | | Ito = transient outward current | | LQT3 = long QT syndrome type 3 | | SAECG = signal-averaged electrocardiogram |
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