Late potentials in the signal-averaged electrocardiogram in pre-pubertal children with ADHD, before and after methylphenidate treatment

Eitan Nahshoni*, Pavel Golubchik, Jonathan Glazer, Jonathan Sever, Boris Strasberg, Shula Imbar, Gal Shoval, Abraham Weizman, Gil Zalsman

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Reports on sudden cardiac death (SCD) of children and adolescents treated with stimulant agents have raised concerns regarding the need for cardiovascular monitoring and risk stratification schedules. Cardiac ventricular late potentials (LPs) represent delayed ventricular activation that might predispose to fatal ventricular arrhythmias and SCD in cardiac patients. LPs have not previously been measured in children with attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). LPs were measured in 18 physically healthy ADHD children (5 girls and 13 boys, age 11.9 ± 2.5 years, treatment duration 2.6 ± 1.9 years) before and 2 h after oral methylphenidate administration. No significant changes were detected and LPs were found to be within normal ranges. In conclusion, this preliminary small-scale study suggests that methylphenidate in physically healthy children with ADHD was not associated with cardiac ventricular LPs, suggesting the safety of the agent in this age group.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)75-78
Number of pages4
JournalEuropean Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Volume21
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2012

Keywords

  • Attention deficit disorder
  • Electrocardiogram
  • Late potential
  • Methylphenidate
  • Pre-puberty
  • Sudden death

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