INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term prognosis for children with severe breath-holding spells (BHS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was a retrospective cohort study. Data from the medical records of all patients with severe BHS admitted during a ten-year period were recorded and a questionnaire was sent to the families. A matched group of adolescents with febrile convulsions served as controls (n = 289). RESULTS: A total of 85 out of 115 families (73.9%) responded. The mean age of the included patients was 20.5 years. Among first-degree relatives 21.5% had BHS and 14.6% had epilepsy. The peak age for severe BHS was 16 months. The children had a total of 1-25 attacks. All electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings were normal. One patient died of asystolia at the age of 20 years, ECG two weeks previously showed a WPW-block. Twenty-six (30.6%, p < 0.001) had fainting spells. Twenty-five (29.4%) had concentration problems. The grades achieved by BHD children at the final school exam did not differ from the mean values achieved by all children in the area. CONCLUSION: In this study on the long-term prognosis of children with BHS, we found a predisposition to fainting spells as expected. We also found that 29.4% of children with BHS had concentration problems. Further follow-up studies are needed to confirm this trend.
INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term prognosis for children with severe breath-holding spells (BHS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was a retrospective cohort study. Data from the medical records of all patients with severe BHS admitted during a ten-year period were recorded and a questionnaire was sent to the families. A matched group of adolescents with febrile convulsions served as controls (n = 289). RESULTS: A total of 85 out of 115 families (73.9%) responded. The mean age of the included patients was 20.5 years. Among first-degree relatives 21.5% had BHS and 14.6% had epilepsy. The peak age for severe BHS was 16 months. The children had a total of 1-25 attacks. All electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings were normal. One patient died of asystolia at the age of 20 years, ECG two weeks previously showed a WPW-block. Twenty-six (30.6%, p < 0.001) had fainting spells. Twenty-five (29.4%) had concentration problems. The grades achieved by BHD children at the final school exam did not differ from the mean values achieved by all children in the area. CONCLUSION: In this study on the long-term prognosis of children with BHS, we found a predisposition to fainting spells as expected. We also found that 29.4% of children with BHS had concentration problems. Further follow-up studies are needed to confirm this trend.