A Multicenter Retrospective Evaluation of Specialized Laboratory Investigations in the Workup of Pediatric Patients With New-Onset Supraventricular Tachycardia.
Kodi M Endres, Krista Kierys, Yimeng Shang and 4 others
PMID 35989191WHAT IT FOUND
Among 621 children with first-time SVT, 97 had laboratory studies.
Thyroid tests were most common. Abnormal results were reported in 23.1% of thyroid and 22.9% of cardiovascular categories. After stabilization, these children may not need extensive diagnostic testing.
Key findings
01Of 621 pediatric patients with first-time SVT, 97 had laboratory studies.
02Thyroid studies were the most frequently ordered specialized laboratory category, at 65 (10.5%), more often than cardiovascular, inflammatory, or toxicology testing (P = .002).
03Results outside normal limits occurred in 22.9% of cardiovascular, 23.1% of thyroid, and 38.1% of inflammatory marker categories.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was retrospective, so it cannot show that one thing caused another. Clinical notes were unavailable, so the researchers could not see why each test was ordered or how the child presented. Diagnoses and codes came from the database and may have been incomplete or unverified. Only qualitative toxicology results were reviewed, so quantitative serum toxicology abnormalities could have been missed. It included only institutions in the database, and it excluded children with prior cardiac surgery or congenital heart disease, so it may not apply to all pediatric SVT patients.
Declared interests
The article states no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as proof that specialized laboratory testing is unnecessary for every child with SVT. The study was retrospective and had no clinical notes, so it cannot show why tests were ordered or show that one thing caused another.