The Unipolar Precordial and Extremity Electrocardiogram in Normal Infants and Children

Abstract

Information regarding the normal unipolar electrocardiogram in the young ages is very limited. This study furnishes data obtained from 521 normal infants and children from birth to 13 years, using the V chest leads and the aV limb leads. Four age groups were noted in the evolution of the newborn pattern into the adult pattern as mainly reflected by the configuration of the QRS complex in V1. Detailed analyses of the rest of the unipolar electrocardiogram disclosed other distinctive features both in wave patterns and voltages which differ significantly not only from adult findings but also among the various age groups noted.

Human Heart Weight at High Altitude

“…In the high altitude child, this pattern persists into childhood while in the sea level child, the adult pattern of normal left ventricular predominance begins to appear at this time. [10][11][12] This study has demonstrated that, in the newborn period, the relative weight of the right ventricle is similar at high altitude and sea level. Previous workers at high altitude have not examined enough hearts in this age group to establish this point.…”

The Electrocardiographic Recognition of Ventricular Hypertrophy in Congenital Cardiovascular Disease during the First Year of Life

“…Goodwin (1952) and Brink and Neill (1955) regarded this pattern in VI as indicative of right ventricular hypertrophy. No example was present in the large series of normal infants and children studied by Alimurung et al (1951) but Ziegler (1951) found three examples in normal infants under 3 months of age.…”

“…Battro and Mendy (1946) were the first to relate electrocardiographic patterns to age. Alimurung, Joseph, Nadas and Massell (1951) and Ziegler (1951) made detailed studies on large groups of infants and children, and their work provides standards of normality for all ages from birth to 14 years.…”

Subendocardial ischaemia in patients with discrete subvalvar aortic stenosis.

“…Two further patients had small ventricular septal defects on cineangiography which were not haemodynamically significant and consequently did not affect the present investigation. Review of the preoperative electrocardiograms showed the presence of left ventricular hypertrophy on voltage criteria in 10 patients (Alimurung et al, 1951). Six patients had normal ST segments and T waves, whereas the remaining 6 had ST segments and T wave changes compatible with subendocardial ischaemia of varying degree ( Table 1).…”