Reference values of electrographic and cardiac ultrasound parameters in Russian healthy children and adolescents
Résumé
BACKGROUND: In contrast with the adult population, no harmonized reference values for electrocardiogram and cardiac ultrasound parameters in children were available. The present article aims to share these data in children and to discuss them compared to those already published in order to feed the debate on the issue of reference values.
METHOD: In the frame of a large cross-sectional study designed to investigate childhood cardiac arrhythmia and chronic exposure to caesium-137 resulting from the Chernobyl accident, a large number of health data was collected from 15 171 healthy children aged 2-18 years living in the Bryansk region (Russia) and was analyzed.
RESULTS: Compared with the adult population, there are many differences in children on electrocardiographic and cardiac ultrasound parameters by age group and gender. Relating to electrocardiographic parameters, the median values in our study were generally quite close to those available in the literature. In contrast, differences in the 2nd and 98th percentiles were notable. A comprehensive literature review also highlighted the difficulties in comparing studies with each other.
CONCLUSION: Attempting to reach a consensus on the limit values thus seems difficult as many factors need to be taken into account. However, the recommendations that we can make are to approach the methodological conditions of scientific data already published on this issue (among other things the equipment used, the number of operators involved, the number of participants, the ethnic origin of the subjects) in order to bring a clear answer on an issue for which real expectations in terms of clinical management are required.
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