Micronutrient Profiles and Anxiety in Adolescents with Non-Structural Palpitations: A Case-Control Study.

Adolescents with palpitations had significantly lower serum magnesium levels compared to healthy controls.

• Case-control study with 52 adolescents with palpitations and 52 frequency-matched healthy controls
• Structural heart disease was excluded by electrocardiography, echocardiography, and 24-h Holter monitoring
• Magnesium levels were lower in the palpitation group despite most values remaining within reference ranges
• Lower magnesium was independently associated with palpitations in age- and sex-adjusted multivariable regression analyses

Adolescents with palpitations had significantly lower serum selenium levels compared to healthy controls.

• Selenium levels were significantly lower in the palpitation group (n=52) versus controls (n=52)
• Values remained within reference ranges despite the statistically significant difference
• Lower selenium was independently associated with palpitations in age- and sex-adjusted analyses
• Selenium was one of two micronutrients identified as independently associated with non-structural palpitations

Adolescents with palpitations had significantly lower serum ferritin levels compared to healthy controls.

• Ferritin levels were significantly lower in the palpitation group compared to controls
• Despite being statistically significant, most ferritin values remained within reference ranges
• Unlike magnesium and selenium, ferritin was not identified as independently associated with palpitations in the adjusted multivariable regression models

Adolescents with palpitations had higher anxiety scores than healthy controls.

• Anxiety scores were significantly higher in the palpitation group (n=52) compared to controls (n=52)
• Anxiety was assessed alongside micronutrient evaluation as part of an integrative evaluation approach
• The findings implicate both anxiety and autonomic dysregulation in non-structural palpitations
• The study authors note that increased anxiety may contribute to non-structural palpitations in adolescents

Lower magnesium and selenium levels were independently associated with non-structural palpitations after adjusting for age and sex.

• Multivariable regression models were used to evaluate independent associations between micronutrients and palpitations
• Models were adjusted for age and sex as covariates
• Magnesium and selenium were the two micronutrients that retained independent associations with palpitations in adjusted analyses
• Ferritin, though significantly different between groups, did not emerge as independently associated in the adjusted models

The study population consisted of adolescents with palpitations in whom structural heart disease had been systematically excluded.

• All participants underwent electrocardiography, echocardiography, and 24-h Holter monitoring to exclude structural heart disease
• 52 cases with palpitations were frequency-matched to 52 healthy controls
• The exclusion of structural disease allowed focus on non-structural or functional causes of palpitations
• The authors note that palpitations are common in adolescents and often occur without structural heart disease