Electrocardiographic findings in children with spinal muscular atrophy

Jpn Heart J. 1996 Mar;37(2):239-42. doi: 10.1536/ihj.37.239.

Abstract

Most of the patients in this study with spinal muscular atrophy were found to have tremors of the isoelectric line in the electrocardiogram (ECG) tracings. There were a total of 47 cases of SMA (mean age 40.8 months). All three types of SMA had a similar incidence (about 80%) of tremors in the tracings (p = 0.885). In 7 cases the ECG tremors had an intermittent pattern. ECG tremors were commonly found in the majority of SMA patients and this finding, though non-specific, may suggest a possible SMA diagnosis.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Artifacts
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Electrocardiography*
  • Female
  • Heart / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Muscle, Skeletal / physiopathology
  • Muscular Atrophy, Spinal / classification
  • Muscular Atrophy, Spinal / physiopathology*
  • Sex Ratio
  • Spinal Muscular Atrophies of Childhood / classification
  • Spinal Muscular Atrophies of Childhood / physiopathology*
  • Tremor / physiopathology