Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Atrioventricular (AV) Reentry Tachycardia

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Clinical Cardiogenetics

  • 901 Accesses

Abstract

Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is the most common and best known cardiac arrhythmia in both children and adults, with an estimated prevalence of 2.25 per 1,000 in the normal population worldwide.1 –3 These supraventricular arrhythmias are often repetitive, occasionally persistent, and rarely life threatening.4 Macroreentry through an anomalous atrioventricular (AV) pathway is by far the most frequent mechanism of SVT in children (80%) and accounts for ∼30% of SVT cases in adults.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 159.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 209.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Ko JK, Deal BJ, Strasburger JF, Benson DW. Supraventricular tachycardia mechanisms and their age distribution in pediatric patients. Am J Cardiol. 1992;69(12):1028-1032.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Morady F. Catheter ablation of supraventricular arrhythmias: state of the art. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2004;15(1):124-139.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Kantoch MJ. Supraventricular tachycardia in children. Indian J Pediatr. 2005;72(7):609-619.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Blomström-Lundqvist C, Scheinman MM, Aliot EM, et al. European Society of Cardiology Committee N-HRS. ACC/AHA/ESC guidelines for the management of patients with supraventricular arrhythmias–executive summary. a report of the American college of cardiology/American heart association task force on practice guidelines and the European society of cardiology committee for practice guidelines (writing committee to develop guidelines for the management of patients with supraventricular arrhythmias) developed in collaboration with NASPE-Heart Rhythm Society. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2003;42(8):1493-1531.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Wellens HJ. Twenty-five years of insights into the mechanisms of supraventricular arrhythmias. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2003;14(9):1020-1025.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Blaufox AD, Rhodes JF, Fishberger SB. Age related changes in dual AV nodal physiology. Pacing and clinical electrophysiology: PACE. 2000;23(4 Pt 1):477-480.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Vidaillet HJ, Pressley JC, Henke E, Harrell FE, German LD. Familial occurrence of accessory atrioventricular pathways (preexcitation syndrome). N Engl J Med. 1987;317(2):65-69.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Miller JM. Therapy of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and concealed bypass tracts: Part I. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 1996;7(1):85-93.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Guize L, Soria R, Chaouat JC, Chrétien JM, Houe D, Le Heuzey JY. Prevalence and course of Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome in a population of 138, 048 subjects. Annales Méd Int. 1985;136(6):474-478.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Goudevenos JA, Katsouras CS, Graekas G, Argiri O, Giogiakas V, Sideris DA. Ventricular pre-excitation in the general population: a study on the mode of presentation and clinical course. Heart. 2000;83(1):29-34.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Kolditz DP, Blom NA, Bökenkamp R, Bootsma M, Zeppenfeld K, Schalij MJ. Radiofrequency catheter ablation for treating children with cardiac arrhythmias: favourable results after a mean of 4 years. Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 2005;149(24):1339-1346.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Perry JC, Garson A. Supraventricular tachycardia due to Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome in children: early disappearance and late recurrence. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1990;16(5):1215-1220.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Kugler JD, Danford DA, Houston KA, Felix G. Society PRARotPRARotPE. Pediatric radiofrequency catheter ablation registry success, fluoroscopy time, and complication rate for supraventricular tachycardia: comparison of early and recent eras. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2002;13(4):336-341.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Bauersfeld U, Pfammatter JP, Jaeggi E. Treatment of supraventricular tachycardias in the new millennium–drugs or radiofrequency catheter ablation? Eur J Pediatr. 2001;160(1):1-9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Deal BJ, Keane JF, Gillette PC, Garson A. Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and supraventricular tachycardia during infancy: management and follow-up. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1985;5(1):130-135.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Mantakas ME, McCue CM, Miller WW. Natural history of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome discovered in infancy. Am J Cardiol. 1978;41(6):1097-1103.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Munger TM, Packer DL, Hammill SC, et al. A population study of the natural history of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome in Olmsted County, Minnesota, 1953–1989. Circulation. 1993;87(3):866-873.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Light PE. Familial Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome: a disease of glycogen storage or ion channel dysfunction? J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2006;17(Suppl 1):S158-S161.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Ehtisham J, Watkins H. Is Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome a genetic disease? J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2005;16(11):1258-1262.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Braunwald E, Lambrew CT, Rockoff SD, Ross J, Morrow AG. Idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis. I. A description of the disease based upon an analysis of 64 patients. Circulation. 1964;30(Suppl 4):3-119.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Fananapazir L, Tracy CM, Leon MB, et al. Electrophysiologic abnormalities in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. A consecutive analysis in 155 patients. Circulation. 1989;80(5): 1259-1268.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Mahaim I, Benatt A, JM M. Nouvelles recherches sur les connections superieures de la branche du fasceau de His-Tawara avec cloison intervntriculaire. Cardiologica. 1937;1:61–76.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Tchou P, Lehmann MH, Jazayeri M, Akhtar M. Atriofascicular connection or a nodoventricular Mahaim fiber? Electrophysiologic elucidation of the pathway and associated reentrant circuit. Circulation. 1988;77(4):837-848.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Haïssaguerre M, Cauchemez B, Marcus F, et al. Characteristics of the ventricular insertion sites of accessory pathways with anterograde decremental conduction properties. Circulation. 1995;91(4):1077-1085.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Bardy GH, Fedor JM, German LD, Packer DL, Gallagher JJ. Surface electrocardiographic clues suggesting presence of a nodofascicular Mahaim fiber. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1984;3(5):1161-1168.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Ellenborgen KARMPD. Accessory nodoventricular (Mahaim) fibers: a clinical review. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 1986;9:868.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Kuck KH, Friday KJ, Kunze KP. Basis for concealed accessory pathways. Circulation. 1990;82:407.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Kolditz DP, Wijffels MC, Blom NA, et al. Persistence of functional atrioventricular accessory pathways in postseptated embryonic avian hearts: implications for morphogenesis and functional maturation of the cardiac conduction system. Circulation. 2007;115(1):17-26.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Kolditz DP, Wijffels MC, Blom NA, van der Laarse A, Hahurij ND, Lie-Venema H, Markwald RR, Poelmann RE, Schalij MJ, Gittenberger-De Groot AC. Epicardium-derived cells in development of annulus fibrosis and persistence of accessory pathways. Circulation. 2008. 25;117(12):1508–1517

    Google Scholar 

  30. Gittenberger-de Groot AC, Vrancken Peeters MP, Mentink MM, Gourdie RG, Poelmann RE. Epicardium-derived cells contribute a novel population to the myocardial wall and the atrioventricular cushions. Circ Res. 1998;82(10):1043-1052.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Becker AE, Anderson RH, Durrer D, Wellens HJ. The anatomical substrates of wolff-parkinson-white syndrome A clinicopathologic correlation in seven patients. Circulation. 1978;57(5):870-879.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. James TN, Puech P. De subitaneis mortibus. IX. Type A Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. Circulation. 1974;50(6):1264-1280.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Rossi L. Anatomic variants of AV junction and surgery of supraventricular arrhythmias. Circulation. 1980;62(4):916-917.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Gilette PC, GACD. Prolonged and decremental antegrade conduction properties in right anterior accessory connections: wide QRS antidromic tachycardia of left bundle branmch block pattern without Wolff = Parkinson-White configuration in sinus rhythm. Am Heart J. 1982;103:66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Jongbloed MR, Wijffels MC, Schalij MJ, et al. Development of the right ventricular inflow tract and moderator band: a possible morphological and functional explanation for Mahaim tachycardia. Circ Res. 2005;96(7):776-783.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Obel OA, Camm AJ. Accessory pathway reciprocating tachycardia. Eur Heart J. 1998;19(Suppl E):E13–24, E50–11.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Prystowsky EN, Heger JJ, Zipes DP. The Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome–diagnosis and treatment. Heart Lung J Crit Care. 1981;10(3):465-474.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Boineau JP, Moore EN. Evidence for propagation of activation across an accessory atrioventricular connection in types A and B pre-excitation. Circulation. 1970;41(3):375-397.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Gallagher JJ, Smith WM, Kasell JH, Benson DW, Sterba R, Grant AO. Role of Mahaim fibers in cardiac arrhythmias in man. Circulation. 1981;64(1):176-189.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Boldt T, Eronen M, Andersson S. Long-term outcome in fetuses with cardiac arrhythmias. Obstet Gynecol. 2003;102(6):1372-1379.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Kolditz DP, Blom NA, Bökenkamp R, Schalij MJ. Low-energy radiofrequency catheter ablation as therapy for supraventricular tachycardia in a premature neonate. Eur J Pediatr. 2005;164(9):559-562.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Juneja R, Shah S, Naik N, Kothari SS, Saxena A, Talwar KK. Management of cardiomyopathy resulting from incessant supraventricular tachycardia in infants and children. Ind Heart J. 2002;54(2):176-180.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Gallagher JJ, Svenson RH, Sealy WC, Wallace AG. The Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and the preexcitation dysrhythmias Medical and surgical management. Med Clin North Am. 1976;60(1):101-123.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Wellens HJ, Brugada P, Penn OC. The management of preexcitation syndromes. JAMA. 1987;257(17):2325-2333.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Klein GJ, Bashore TM, Sellers TD, Pritchett EL, Smith WM, Gallagher JJ. Ventricular fibrillation in the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. N Engl J Med. 1979;301(20):1080-1085.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Basso C, Corrado D, Rossi L, Thiene G. Ventricular preexcitation in children and young adults: atrial myocarditis as a possible trigger of sudden death. Circulation. 2001;103(2):269-275.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Bricker JT, Porter CJ, Garson A, et al. Exercise testing in children with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. Am J Cardiol. 1985;55(8):1001-1004.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Garson A, Gillette PC. Electrophysiologic studies of supraventricular tachycardia in children. II. Prediction of specific mechanism by noninvasive features. Am Heart J. 1981;102(3 Pt 1):383-388.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Pappone C, Manguso F, Santinelli R, et al. Radiofrequency ablation in children with asymptomatic Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. N Engl J Med. 2004;351(12):1197-1205.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Pappone C, Santinelli V, Manguso F, et al. A randomized study of prophylactic catheter ablation in asymptomatic patients with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. N Engl J Med. 2003;349(19):1803-1811.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Pappone C, Santinelli V, Rosanio S, et al. Usefulness of invasive electrophysiologic testing to stratify the risk of arrhythmic events in asymptomatic patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White pattern: results from a large prospective long-term follow-up study. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2003;41(2):239-244.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Bromberg BI, Lindsay BD, Cain ME, Cox JL. Impact of clinical history and electrophysiologic characterization of accessory pathways on management strategies to reduce sudden death among children with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1996;27(3):690-695.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Dubin AM, Collins KK, Chiesa N, Hanisch D, Van Hare GF. Use of electrophysiologic testing to assess risk in children with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. Cardiol Young. 2002;12(3):248-252.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Campbell RM, Strieper MJ, Frias PA, Collins KK, Van Hare GF, Dubin AM. Survey of current practice of pediatric electrophysiologists for asymptomatic Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. Pediatrics. 2003;111(3):e245-247.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Fitzsimmons PJ, McWhirter PD, Peterson DW, Kruyer WB. The natural history of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome in 228 military aviators: a long-term follow-up of 22 years. Am Heart J. 2001;142(3):530-536.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. Wellens HJJ. ECG in Emergency Decision Making. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders; 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  57. Vaughan Williams EM. A classification of antiarrhythmic actions reassessed after a decade of new drugs. J Clin Pharmacol. 1984;24(4)):129-147.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Van Hare GF, Carmelli D, Smith WM, et al. Prospective assessment after pediatric cardiac ablation: design and implementation of the multicenter study. PACE. 2002;25(3):332-341.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Weindling SN, Saul JP, Walsh EP. Efficacy and risks of medical therapy for supraventricular tachycardia in neonates and infants. Am Heart J. 1996;131(1):66-72.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  60. Kirsh JA, Gross GJ, O’Connor S, Hamilton RM, Registry CIP. Transcatheter cryoablation of tachyarrhythmias in children: initial experience from an international registry. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2005;45(1):133-136.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  61. Sporton SC, Earley MJ, Nathan AW, Schilling RJ. Electroanatomic versus fluoroscopic mapping for catheter ablation procedures: a prospective randomized study. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2004;15(3):310-315.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  62. Van Hare GF, Dubin AM, Collins KK. Invasive electrophysiology in children: state of the art. J Electrocardiol. 2002;35(Suppl):165-174.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  63. Haines DE. The biophysics of radiofrequency catheter ablation in the heart: the importance of temperature monitoring. PACE. 1993;16(3 Pt 2):586-591.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  64. Fengler BT, Brady WJ, Plautz CU. Atrial fibrillation in the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome: ECG recognition and treatment in the ED. Am J Emerg Med. 2007;25(5):576-583.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  65. Barlett HL, Loomis JL, Deno NS, Kollias J, Hodgson JL, Buskirk ER. A system for automatic end-tidal gas sampling at rest and during exercise. J Appl Physiol. 1973;35(2):301-303.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  66. Wolf CMAM, Ahmad F, Sanbe A, et al. Reversibility of PRKAG2 glycogen-storage cardiomyopathy and electrophysiologic manifectations. Circulation. 2008;117(2):144-154.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  67. Gollob MH, Green MS, Tang AS, et al. Identification of a gene responsible for familial Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. N Engl J Med. 2001;344(24):1823-1831.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  68. MacRae CA, Ghaisas N, Kass S, et al. Familial Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome maps to a locus on chromosome 7q3. J Clin Invest. 1995;96(3):1216-1220.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  69. Arad M, Moskowitz IP, Patel VV, et al. Transgenic mice overexpressing mutant PRKAG2 define the cause of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome in glycogen storage cardiomyopathy. Circulation. 2003;107(22):2850-2856.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  70. Bulkley BH, Hutchins GM. Pompe’s disease presenting as hypertrophic myocardiopathy with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. Am Heart J. 1978;96(2):246-252.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  71. Yang Z, McMahon CJ, Smith LR, et al. Danon disease as an underrecognized cause of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in children. Circulation. 2005;112(11):1612-1617.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  72. O’Callaghan FJ, Clarke AC, Joffe H, et al. Tuberous sclerosis complex and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. Arch Dis Child. 1998;78(2):159-162.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  73. Mashima Y, Kigasawa K, Hasegawa H, Tani M, Oguchi Y. High incidence of pre-excitation syndrome in Japanese families with Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy. Clin Genet. 1996;50(6):535-537.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  74. Sidhu JS, Rajawat YS, Rami TG, et al. Transgenic mouse model of ventricular preexcitation and atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia induced by an AMP-activated protein kinase loss-of-function mutation responsible for Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. Circulation. 2005;111(1):21-29.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  75. Gaussin V. Offbeat mice. Anat Rec A Discov Mol Cell Evol Biol. 2004;280(2):1022-1026.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  76. Gaussin V, Morley GE, Cox L, et al. Alk3/Bmpr1a receptor is required for development of the atrioventricular canal into valves and annulus fibrosus. Circ Res. 2005;97(3):219-226.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  77. Ott P, Marcus FI. Familial Mahaim syndrome. Ann Noninvasive Electrocardiol. 2001;6(3):272-275.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands

    Denise P. Kolditz-Muijs

Authors
  1. Denise P. Kolditz-Muijs
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Monique R. M. Jongbloed
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Martin J. Schalij
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Denise P. Kolditz-Muijs .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University Medical Centre Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX, Utrecht, 3508 GA, Netherlands

    H.F. Baars

  2. University Medical Centre Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX, Utrecht, 3508 GA, Netherlands

    P.A.F.M. Doevendans

  3. University Medical Centre Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX, Utrecht, 3508 GA, Netherlands

    J.J. van der Smagt

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2011 Springer-Verlag London Limited

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Kolditz-Muijs, D.P., Jongbloed, M.R.M., Schalij, M.J. (2011). Atrioventricular (AV) Reentry Tachycardia. In: Baars, H., Doevendans, P., van der Smagt, J. (eds) Clinical Cardiogenetics. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84996-471-5_16

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84996-471-5_16

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-84996-470-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-84996-471-5

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation