Are there current studies about long term development of WPW in children?

Question

Our daughter was diagnosed with Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome (WPW) at zero weeks age in April 2014.

I found a very interesting study from 1990 that talks about the long term development of WPW. It can be summarized as:

Among those whose tachycardia began at age 0 to 2 months, it disappeared in 93% and persisted in 7%. In 31%, it disappeared and reappeared at an average age of 8 years.

Since the study is 25 years old, I was wondering whether or not there are newer studies that better results (especially how the recurrence for patients given drugs compares to those without drugs).

So my question is:

Are there any recent studies about the long term development/evolution of WPW in toddlers/kids/young adults?

Answer 1

There are the following newer studies which are related to that one from 1990:

• 1992: Usefulness of predischarge electrophysiologic study in predicting late outcome after surgical ablation of the accessory pathway in the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome,

• 1992: Diagnosis and localization of accessory pathways.

  The WPW syndrome is a curable disease. The evolution of nonpharmacological methods of accessory pathway ablation has had a significant impact on management strategies in patients with arrhythmias mediated by accessory pathways. Despite an incidence of preexcitation in the general population of 0.1% to 0.3%, curative therapy is underutilized. This review has highlighted the traditional and newer methods of diagnosing and localizing accessory pathways.

• 1992: Wolff-Parkinson-White disease in childhood: follow up of 36 cases

  We have studied 36 patients (19 females and 17 males), controlled between 1973 and 1989, who suffered Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) pattern in their electrocardiogram. Epidemiological, clinical, diagnostic, therapeutic and evolutional data were reviewed. The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 4 years and 3 months, with 48% younger than six months of age. The average time for the follow-up period was 4 years and 2 months. There was not familiar occurrence. Six (16%) of the patients had associated heart disease. Seventeen (47%) had type A of WPW, 12 (33%) type B and 7 (20%) were not defined. An echocardiographic study was done in 20 patients (61%). Twenty-seven patients (75%) showed supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), which in 22 of these cases was the reason for seeking consultation. Children without SVT, 9 (25%), did not need any form of treatment. Twenty-four (889) of the patients with SVT required treatment to prevent recurrence. In the 27 studied episodes of SVT, Verapamil IV (55%) and vagal manoeuvres were the most efficient treatments. Seventeen (47%) of the patients presented a persistent WPW pattern and 11 (31%) experienced a normalization of their electrocardiogram with a mean time of 2 years-2 months.

• 1994: Surgical treatment of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome in infants and children.

• 1998: Tuberous sclerosis complex and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.

  Ten patients with concurrent diagnoses of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and tuberous sclerosis were identified. Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome presented early in life, nine cases being diagnosed in the first year. Eight of the 10 cases were male. In eight cases, the syndrome was associated with supraventricular tachycardias, and in nine with cardiac rhabdomyomata. One child died from cardiac failure secondary to obstruction of the left ventricular outflow tract by a rhabdomyoma. Five of nine survivors showed resolution of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome on follow up.

• 2007: Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome in Ebstein's anomaly

There are no specific newer studies which relates to recurrence for patients given drugs compares to those without drugs, however study from 1992 has some follow-up of 36 cases of patients from 1973-1989 who suffered WPW which could be some interest for you.