Ionized calcium, cardiac function, and electrocardiogram in preterm neonates

To the Editor.— We would like to add some comments on the article by Venkataraman et al.1 In one respect it might be quite dangerous not to measure the ionized calcium in preterm neonates. If you find prolongation of QTc or QoTc intervals in the ECG during cardiac failure in these infants and find s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pediatrics (Evanston) 1986-09, Vol.78 (3), p.541-542
Main Authors: Möller, J, Tegtmeyer, F K
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Calcium - blood
Electrocardiography
Heart Diseases - physiopathology
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature, Diseases - physiopathology
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Summary:To the Editor.— We would like to add some comments on the article by Venkataraman et al.1 In one respect it might be quite dangerous not to measure the ionized calcium in preterm neonates. If you find prolongation of QTc or QoTc intervals in the ECG during cardiac failure in these infants and find subnormal total serum calcium levels, you might make a wrong conclusion on causal relationship. Until now, we have seen five preterm neonates with OTc/QoTc prolongation and profound low total serum calcium levels, whereas the measured ionized calcium level was normal.
ISSN:0031-4005
1098-4275
DOI:10.1542/peds.78.3.541a