Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome in infants and children. A long-term follow-up study.

Sixty-two infants and children with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW) were under long-term follow-up at The New York Hospital over a 20-year period. Twenty had associated congenital heart disease. In 29 infants and 6 children in hospitalfor paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, digitalis relieved the episodes in all but one instance and prevented further recur- rences in all but 4. One infant and 3 older children continued to experience briefepisodes ofparoxysmal tachycardia. Though three-quarters of the 42 babies were symptomatic, only 4 of the 46 followed as children and adolescents had tachyrhythmias. The prognosis into adult lifefor infants and children with WPW with or without episodes of tachycardia is good.