Supraventricular tachyarrhythmia (SVT) is the most common type of arrhythmia in childhood. Management can be challenging with an associated risk of mortality. A female neonate was diagnosed with episodes of SVT, controlled antenatally with digoxin. Flecainide was commenced prophylactically at birth. Despite treatment, the infant developed a narrow complex tachycardia at 5 days of age. The electrocardiogram features were suggestive of either re-entry tachycardia or of automatic atrial tachycardia (AAT). Following several unsuccessful treatments, a wide complex tachycardia developed. A transesophageal electrophysiological study led to a diagnosis of AAT. Stable sinus rhythm was finally achieved through increasing daily administrations of flecainide up to six times a day, in association with nadolol. The shortening of intervals to this extent has never been reported before and supports the evidence of a personal, age-specific variability in pharmacokinetics of flecainide. Larger studies are needed to better define the appropriate dose and timing of administration.
Keywords: automatic atrial tachycardia; flecainide; newborn; pharmacokinetics; supraventricular tachyarrhythmia.