| Abstract: | Twenty-two cases of chaotic atrial tachycardia(CAT) in infants and children are presented. Thefeatures were as follows: the patients were allsmall infants; most cases were associated with re-spiratory disease; unless the CAT was associatedwith severe disease, the patients appeared well afterthe infection was controlled other than in a patientwith ventricular septal defect and one with endocardial fibroelastosis, no evidence of congestive heartfailure was noted; CAT reverted spontaneously tosinus rhythm after various lengths of time; othermanifestations of atrial ectopic rhythm were alsonoted; antiarrhythmic treatment was ineffective; andprognosis was good in cases without associated severe diseases. The electrophysiologic mechanism ofthis dysrhythmia remains unknown. |
