• Andreia Duarte Constante, Joana Suarez, Guilherme Lourenço, Guilherme Portugal, CunhaPedro SilvaPSArrhythmology, Pacing and Electrophysiology Unit, Cardiology Department, Santa Marta Hospital, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Central, 1649-004 Lisbon, Portugal.Centro Clínico Académico de Lisboa, Clínica Universitária de Cardiol, Mário Martins Oliveira, Conceição Trigo, Fátima F Pinto, and Sérgio Laranjo.
• Pediatric Cardiology Department, Reference Center for Congenital Heart Diseases, Hospital de Santa Marta, Unidade Local de Saúde São José EPE, 1150-199 Lisbon, Portugal.
• Medicina (Kaunas). 2024 Sep 15; 60 (9).

AbstractBackground and Objectives: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is increasingly recognised in paediatric patients, presenting unique challenges in management due to its association with various underlying heart conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence, management strategies, and outcomes of AF in this population. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted at a tertiary paediatric cardiology centre, including patients aged ≤18 years diagnosed with AF between January 2015 and December 2023. The study focused on demographic details, clinical presentations, treatments, and outcomes. Descriptive statistics were employed to assess treatment efficacy, recurrence rates, and complications. Results: The study included 36 paediatric patients (median age: 15 years, IQR: 13-17; 58% male). Of these, 52.8% had acquired heart disease, 16.7% had congenital heart anomalies, and 16.7% presented with lone AF. The initial management strategies involved electrical cardioversion in 53.3% of patients and pharmacological conversion with amiodarone in 46.7%. Rhythm control therapy was administered to over 80% of the cohort, and 63.9% were placed on oral anticoagulation, predominantly for rheumatic and congenital heart diseases. The overall success rate of rhythm control was 96.2%, with an AF recurrence rate of 3.8%. Ischemic stroke was the most common complication, occurring in three patients, all with underlying rheumatic heart disease. Conclusions: AF in paediatric patients is predominantly associated with rheumatic and congenital heart diseases, though a significant proportion of patients present with lone AF. Despite effective rhythm control in most cases, neurological complications, particularly ischemic strokes in patients with underlying heart disease, remain a critical concern. These findings underscore the need for more comprehensive studies to better understand the aetiology, risk factors, and optimal management strategies for paediatric AF.

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