Cardiac Arrhythmia in Infants and Children

Cardiac arrhythmia which was observed during 5 years and 10 months from September 1975 to June 1981 on 11, 273 ECG records of the pediatric patients were analysed. Simple sinus arrhythmia and bundle branch blocks were excluded from this study. 602 cases of arrhythmia were seen among the 11,273 cases(5.3%). The types of arrhythmia in the order of frequency are: A-V block ectopic beat, multifocal rhythm, paroxysmal tachycardia, A-V junctional rhythm. A-V dissocation, atrial fibrillation, ventricular fibrillation and escape beat. The main underlying causes of the serious cardiac arrhythmia were congenital heart disease, open heart surgery, rhematic heart disease, cardiomyopathy and myocarditis.

Hyaline Membrane Disease (Five cases report including two autopsy cases)

The hyaline membrane disease is not a common disease in Korea. Only a few reports of small scale are avaiable in the literature. We have experienced 5 cases of HMD during approximately 1 year period. The diagnosis was made either on characteristic clinical and roentgenological features or postmortem examination. The birth weights of these cases were in the range of 1,000-1,500gm in 2 cases and 2,000-2,500gm in 3 cases. And their gestational age was 28-34 weeks in most of the cases. Three cases were delivered by C-section. There was 1 case of placenta previa. Four of these 5 cases died after average 18 hours postnatum. Postmortem findings in two cases were characterized by typical hyaline membrane lining th respiratory bronchioles and alveolar ducts. Other prominent findings were atelectasis, interstitial edema and congestion and lymphatic dilatation. One case complicated with multifocal bronchopneumonia and perinatal telencephalic leukoencephalopathy. The other case showed acute subarachnoid hemorrhage probably from germinal matrix hemorrhage.