Clinical spectrum, therapeutic management, and follow-up of ventricular tachycardia in infants and young children.

We reviewed 40 infants and young children with VT. Median maximum VT rate was 214 beats/min (range 152 to 375 beats/min). A cause was defined in 20 (50%), the most common being cardiomyopathy or myocarditis in 8 (20%). There were six deaths (15%) related to VT, three of which occurred at diagnosis and in patients less than 1 week old. In 5 of 6 deaths related to VT, a cause was defined. At follow-up, 31 (91%) of 34 survivors did not have VT. The presence of symptoms was a predictor of death related to VT. The outlook for asymptomatic patients and those who survived more than 6 months after diagnosis and who do not have progressive myocardial disease appears good.