Risk factors for development of ventricular tachycardia in patients with ventricular premature contraction with a structurally normal heart

BACKGROUND: We examined risk factors for development of ventricular tachycardia (VT) in pediatric patients with ventricular premature contractions (VPCs) and a structurally normal heart. METHODS: The subjects were 81 844 first graders and 88 244 seventh graders of Kagoshima City School-based cardiovascular screening (SCV-screening) between 2001 and 2015. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of students who were diagnosed as having VPC. RESULTS: < .001, odds ratio; 2.01, 95% confidence intervals; 1.46-2.93). Receiver operating characteristics analysis showed an adequate cut-off number of three VPCs for the risk, the sensitivity was 89% and the specificity was 77%. CONCLUSIONS: Of the patients with VPC and a structurally normal heart, a few patients developed VT. Careful observation is important in patients who had three or more VPCs on SCV-screening ECG.