Key result
ECG screening in healthy children detects abnormal findings in ~1.3%, uncovering significant cardiac diseases.
Why the study?
ECG can diagnose life-threatening arrhythmias and cardiac abnormalities, but its role in detecting cardiac disease in children needed evaluation.
Does electrocardiogram screening detect underlying cardiac diseases in a healthy primary school population?
Cross-Sectional (n=5,793)
Yes
Does electrocardiogram screening detect underlying cardiac diseases in a healthy primary school population?
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
ECG screening in healthy primary school children can identify a small percentage (1.3%) with abnormalities, some of which reveal significant underlying cardiac diseases requiring intervention.
ECG is the most used tools in cardiology. Some life-threatening arrhythmias and cardiac abnormalities can be diagnosed with ECG. The aim is to assess the role of ECG for the detection of cardiac disease in children, from September 2014 to January 2020, ECG was performed in 52 primary school in Como. 5793 children (49.4% female) aged 8.1 (± 1.3) years had an ECG; 79 (1.3%) were abnormal due to the following findings: 34 (43%) right bundle branch block (RBBB), 9 (11%) abnormal ventricular repolarization, 7 (9%) long QT, 7 atrio-ventricular block (AVB), 7 (9%) accessory pathway, 5 (5%) premature ventricular beat, 5 (5%) anterior hemiblock, 4 (5%) left ventricular hypertrophy, 1 (2%) ST alteration. Long QT syndrome was excluded in all children with long QT. Among those with RBBB, 2 had severe inter-atrial septal defect (one underwent to closure), while one had moderate mitral valve regurgitation and bicuspid aortic, and 2 had moderate mitral regurgitation. One child with AVB had pacemaker implantation. One child with accessory pathway had Wolf-Parkinson syndrome and undergone to catheter ablation. Among apparently healthy children, ECG may be useful to detect cardiac disease with potential consequence in the adulthood.
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Pozzi et al. (2026) conducted a cross-sectional in Healthy primary school children (n=5,793). Electrocardiogram (ECG) was evaluated on Abnormal ECG findings. Electrocardiogram screening in 5,793 apparently healthy primary school children identified abnormal findings in 1.3% (n=79), leading to the detection of significant cardiac diseases.
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