Fetal supraventricular tachycardia

Fetal supraventricular tachycardia diagnosed and treated at twenty-four weeks of gestation and after birth: a case report
Romeo E, D’Alto M, Russo MG, Sarubbi B, Cardaropoli D, Paladini D, Pacileo G, Annunziata A, Calabrò R
Chair of Cardiology, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy

Supraventricular tachycardia is the most common clinically significant fetal tachycardia. The diagnosis is usually made at routine sonographic workup during the second-third trimester of pregnancy. Treatment goals are cardioversion to sinus rhythm and reversal of cardiac dysfunction. We describe a case of fetal supraventricular tachycardia diagnosed at 24 weeks of gestation. The first-line treatment was oral maternal digoxin and sotalol. This therapy was not sufficient for complete control of the tachycardia. Hence, second-line treatment with digoxin and flecainide was started and successfully achieved conversion to sinus rhythm. No adverse maternal side effects were noted during the 14 weeks of therapy. A normal male infant was delivered at elective cesarean section performed for obstetric indications at 38 weeks of gestation. A persistent junctional reciprocating tachycardia with a ventriculo-atrial/atrioventricular ratio > 1 was diagnosed following delivery at transesophageal electrophysiological study. At the age of 8 months the child is on therapy with sotalol (4 mg/kg/day) and flecainide (3 mg/kg/day) and is in good clinical conditions.

Italian Heart Journal 2004; 5 : 777-780