Effect of QT interval-prolonging drugs taken in pregnancy on the neonatal QT interval.

Acquired QT interval prolongations due to drug side effects can result in detrimental arrhythmia. Maternal use of placenta-permeable drugs may lead to fetal exposure, thus leading to an increased risk of neonatal QT prolongation and arrhythmia. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of maternal QT-prolonging medication on the neonatal QT interval.

Electrocardiographic Screening in the First Days of Life for Diagnosing Long QT Syndrome: Findings from a Birth Cohort Study in Germany.

Introduction: Newborn sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) has failed to decrease in the last decades, and a third of the neonatal cases occurred within the first 6 days of life. The long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a genetic disease with a prevalence of 1 in 2,000 live births and contributes to almost 10% of SIDS cases. Early identification of LQTS through electrocardiogram (ECG) screening is likely to reduce mortality.