Electrocardiogram of the newborn

Abstract

The electrocardiogrammes of 25 normal newborn children of an age from 12 hours to 48 days, most of them of less than a month, have been studied.

The three standard derivations have been registerea, as well as the re-inforced mcnopolar derivations of the members, and three monopolar derivations of the thorax : V4 on the right side, VI and V6. The lelations R/S in VI and V6 and that of Q/R in aVR have been measured.

Wave P is not generally very ostensible; it is always positive in aVF, negative in aVR and variable in aVL.

Complex QRS shows a predominant positivity in V4 on the right and in VI ; it appears diphasic, like the type R/S, in V6.

In two cases there has been found a pattern of incomplete blocking of the right branch with double positivity in VI.

Wave T often coincides with the isoelectric line and shows a tendency to negativity in the right side thoracic derivations.