Multifocal atrial tachycardia: an unusual cause of cardiogenic shock in a newborn.

BACKGROUND

Chaotic or multifocal atrial tachycardia (MAT) is a rare tachyarrhythmia in children, accounting for less than 1% of supraventricular tachycardia seen in childhood. The majority of children with MAT are healthy; a few may exhibit mild to life threatening cardiorespiratory disease.

AIM: To report a new case of MAT revealed by a severe respiratory distress and cardiogenic shock.

CASE REPORT: We report a rare case of MAT revealed by a severe respiratory distress and cardiogenic shock in a 12-day-old newborn. The echocardiogram demonstrated an isolated secundum-type atrial septal defect with a decreased left ventricular function. He was successfully treated with intravenous amiodarone. A relay by oral amiodarone and digoxine was made. Four months later, he had no recurrence of arrhythmia and left ventricular function returned to normal.

CONCLUSION

Our case is original by its association to an isolated ostium secondum-type atrial septal defect and by the occurrence of a congestive heart failure revealing the arrhythmia and the structural heart disease during the neonatal period.