Torsade de pointes, acquired complete heart block and inappropriately long QT in childhood

Abstract

After spontaneously acquiring complete heart block two children presented with torsade de pointes as a result of inappropriate prolongation of the QT interval. Although both remain well following pacemaker insertion, their cases illustrate the importance of (QT interval assessment in patients with atrioventricular block, and demonstrate that syncopal episodes, and possible sudden death, in children with acquired heart block can be due to bradycardia-induced ventricular tachyarrhythmias rather than extreme bradycardia per se.