A Case Series of Neonatal Supraventricular Tachycardia: A Review of Different Management and Clinical Outcomes

Objective: Neonatal arrhythmias are defined as abnormal heart rates in the neonatal period. They may occur as a result of various cardiovascular, systemic and metabolic problems. Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is the most common arrhythmia in neonates. We aimed to evaluate the treatments and side effects of medications used in SVT treatment. Method: A retrospective chart review was performed on newborns who were hospitalized, and treated with the diagnosis of SVT during hospitalization in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Buca Obstetric, Gynecology and Pediatrics Hospital in Izmir, Turkey from December 2016 to December 2017. Results: Ten patients received the diagnosis of SVT. As for underlying diseases, 80% of the patients were evaluated as nonspecific SVT, while 20% of the patients had Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. Overall, 30% had congenital heart disease. More than half of the infants received abortive therapy including adenosine. Acute therapy was used in 40% infants. In 70% of the patients, adenosine was used as abortive treatment Acute treatment was used for 40% of the patients. The most commonly used (75%) drug in acute therapy was amiodarone followed by esmolol. Secondary prevention therapy was used in %70 of the infants. The most commonly used agents were beta-blockers, (57%) followed by sotalol (43%). Conclusion: Cardiac arrhytmias are among the important causes of morbidity in infants. If not diagnosed, and treated it is a serious cause of mortality in infants. The physicians should be alert about etiologies, development, and natural course of arrrhytmias during fetal, and neonatal periods.