Text Box: CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF COUPLED VENTRICULAR PREMATURE BEATS IN CHILDREN Zhang Qianzhong, Li Ping, Liu Rongxia, Tian Jinrong First Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, China Objective: To explore the value of coupled ventricular premature beats (VPBs) for qualitative diagnosis of premature beats and prognostic evaluation, so that the diagnosis and treatment of VPBs be further improved. Methods: a retrospective study and analysis of clinical data in term of VPBs in children was presented. These clinical data originated from the patients treated by our hospital during the recent 10 years. Results: Among 154 patients with VPBs, 11 patients (accounting for 7.1%) suffered from coupled VPBs, of which 6 males and 5 females. The ages of patients were between 8 and 14 years old (11.45+1.91). Of 11 cases, coupled VPBs were directly found on routine surface electrocardiogram in 9 patients, and coupled VPBs were found in another 2 patients when only 24-hour dynamic electrocardiogram was undertaken later. Among 11 cases, 6 patients had short runs of ventricular tachycardia. In this group, 2 patients were diagnosed as severe myocarditis and 1 patient was diagnosed as cardiomyopathy through comprehensive examination finally. No organic heart disease was found in other 8 cases. Conclusion: Coupled VPBs was more important than coupling VPBs clinically. Particularly, coupled VPBs have more pathological significance when it is accompanied with other cardiac arrhythmia or myocardial injury. Besides being found in the patients with organic heart disease, coupled VPBs may also occur in children without organic heart disease. 1869