The QT Intervals in Infancy and Time for Infantile ECG Screening for Long QT Syndrome

Background: Electrocardiographic and molecular studies have clarified an association between sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and long QT syndrome (LQTS), and few data are available for the QT interval in infancy from birth to 1 year of age. Appropriate time of electrocardiographic screening is not clarified. Medical examinations during infancy are mandatory in Japan. Methods and Results: The study population included 1,058 infants. Electrocardiograms were collected with information of infants at birth and at examination. The QT intervals of three consecutive beats were measured in lead V-5. Statistical analysis revealed that the following formula was appropriate to minimize the effect of heart rate for infants: corrected QT interval; QTc = QT interval/RR interval(0:43). Subjects were divided into four groups as follows: 0-2, 3-6, 6-11, and 12-52 weeks of age. Tukey's multiple comparison showed that the QTc intervals were longest (p < 0: 0001) in subjects who were 6-11 weeks of age. Conclusions: The QTc interval showed the highest peak at 6-11 weeks of age in infancy. The peak period of occurrence of SIDS is at approximately 2 months of age. An appropriate time of electrocardiographic screening for QT prolongation will be one month of age, and follow-up studies are needed.