Breath holding spells in 91 children and response to treatment with iron

Abstract

To evaluate the prognosis of breath holding spells (BHS) after iron treatment, 91 children (56 boys, 35 girls) aged between 6 months and 40 months (median, 17) were followed prospectively for a median of 45 months (range, 6-89). In 49 of the children, the frequency of BHS was less than 10 each month, in 22 it was 10-30 each month, and in 20 more than 30 each month. The spells were cyanotic in 60 children. All patients were evaluated initially and during follow up for haematological indices. Electroencephalographic and electrocardiographic abnormalities were also recorded. Sixty three patients were found to have iron deficiency anaemia and were treated with iron (6 mg/kg/ day) for three months. Other patients were not given any treatment. After three months, there was a significant diVerence for correction of cyanotic spells between children who had been treated with iron and those who had not (84.1% v 21.4%). During further follow up, febrile convulsions occurred in 10 children (six were on iron treatment initially). It appears that treating iron deficiency anaemia is eVective in reducing the frequency of BHS. (Arch Dis Child 1999;81:261-262)

Breath holding spell, febrile seizure and anemia; are those parts of a puzzle? Celiac disease-case report

“…4 tarafından yapılan çalışmada, katılma nöbetinin çölyak hastalığı ile ilişkisi belirlenememiştir. Ancak, demir eksikliği anemisinin katılma nöbeti sıklığını ve ciddiyetini artırdığı gösterilmiştir 5 . Demir eksikliği anemisi olan olgular FK'ya daha yatkındır ve ÇH olan olgularda tanı sırasında %69'a varan oranlarda demir eksikliği anemisi saptanmaktadır 6,7 .…”

Cyanotic Breath-Holding Spell: A Life-Threatening Complication after Radical Resection of a Cervicomedullary Ganglioglioma

“…Occurrence of the Ondine curse decreased in frequency and severity in response to oral administration of imipramine 5 mg/night, and this is probably explained by decreasing in length and number of the REM sleep during a night. On the contrary, cyanotic BHS did not respond to any therapy including iron replacement, which is currently assumed to be effective for most children with cyanotic BHS without underlying diseases [11]. The patient was equipped with a portable oxygen saturation monitor with an alarm, and in case of prolonged apnea, her parents performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.…”

P Wave Dispersion in Children with Breath-holding Spells

“…Paroxysmal rhythm abnormalities must be considered in the differential identification of these attacks (2). An association with iron deficiency anemia and BHS has been reported (3).…”