Ageliki A. Karatza

Twin-twin transfusion syndrome: the influence of intrauterine laser photocoagulation on arterial distensibility in childhood.

Background—In twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), the donor and recipient fetus are exposed to differing volume loads and show discordant intertwin vascular compliance in childhood despite identical genotype. We hypothesized that discordance is prevented by intrauterine endoscopic laser ablation of placental anastomoses, which abolishes intertwin transfusion. We tested this by examining pulse wave velocity (PWV) in brachial arteries of twin survivors of TTTS treated with and without laser therapy. Methods and Results—One hundred children (50 twin pairs, 27 with TTTS) were studied. Group 1 comprised 14 monochorionic (MC) twin pairs with TTTS treated symptomatically; group 2 comprised 13 MC twin pairs with TTTS treated by laser. The control groups comprised 12 MC twin pairs without TTTS (group 3) and 11 dichorionic twin pairs (group 4). Fetal cardiovascular data, predictive factors for, and duration of TTTS and cord blood were collected prospectively. We measured blood pressure and PWV photoplethysmographically at a median corrected postnatal age of 11 months (range, 1 week to 66 months). Both TTTS groups showed marked intertwin PWV discordance, unlike MCDA control subjects. The PWV discordance seen in laser treated twin pairs resembled that of dichorionic control subjects (heavier individual with higher PWV), whereas group 1 showed the opposite (negative) intertwin discordance (ANOVA F (1,45)=4.5, P =0.04). No significant differences in blood pressure or intrauterine growth were observed between TTTS groups. Conclusions—Vascular programming is evident in monozygotic twins with intertwin transfusion and is altered but not abolished by intrauterine therapy to resemble that seen in dichorionic twins.

Prevalence of asthma among schoolchildren in Patras, Greece: three surveys over 20 years

BACKGROUND The aim of the present study was to compare the prevalence of asthma among schoolchildren in 1978, 1991, and 1998 in Patras, Greece. METHODS The study populations of the three comparable cross sectional surveys comprised third and fourth grade public school children in Patras, Greece. Sample sizes in 1978, 1991, and 1998 were 3735, 2952 and 3397 children and response rates were 80.4%, 81.9%, and 90.6%, respectively. Prevalence of current, non-current, and lifetime asthma or recurrent wheezing was determined by parental questionnaire. Personal communication with the parents of asthmatic children in 1991 and 1998 provided data on lost schooldays. RESULTS Prevalence rates of current asthma or wheezing in 1978, 1991, and 1998 were 1.5%, 4.6%, and 6.0%, respectively (1978–91: p=0.01, 1991–98: p=0.02, 1978–98: p=0.03). Lifetime prevalences of asthma or wheezing in 1991 and 1998 were 8.0% and 9.6%, respectively (p=0.03). Current diagnosed asthma increased proportionally to diagnosed wheezing during 1991–98. The number of schooldays lost in the previous 2 years because of asthma did not change (p>0.1) between 1991 (0.31 per child) and 1998 (0.34 per child). CONCLUSIONS Our results support a true increase in the prevalence of current and lifetime asthma in the last 20 years among pre-adolescent children in Patras, Greece.

Neonatal cardiac dysfunction in intrauterine growth restriction

Background:The early postnatal cardiovascular consequences of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) have not been completely elucidated. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of IUGR on neonatal myocardial function and cardiovascular adaptation to extrauterine life.Methods:Conventional and tissue Doppler echocardiographic parameters were compared on the second and fifth postnatal day between 30 IUGR and 30 appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA) neonates.Results:IUGR neonates presented relative interventricular septum (IVS) hypertrophy (IVS to left ventricular (LV) posterior wall diastolic ratio: median IUGR–AGA difference of 0.05 (interquartile range: 0.04–0.06); P = 0.020), relative LV dilatation (wall thickness to end-diastolic LV dimension difference of 0.12 (0.06–0.16); P = 0.012), and increased left myocardial performance index (MPI difference of 0.19 (0.05–0.28); P = 0.012). Repeated measurements ANOVA revealed a different pattern of change in LV stroke volume (LVSV; P < 0.001), LV cardiac output (LVCO; P < 0.001), MPI (P < 0.001), and heart rate (HR; P = 0.025) between AGA and IUGR infants. From the second to the fifth postnatal day, AGA neonates presented a decrease in MPI and HR with an increase in LVSV and LVCO. IUGR neonates failed to achieve similar changes in MPI, HR, and LVSV, whereas their LVCO decreased.Conclusion:IUGR neonates present changes in cardiac morphology and subclinical myocardial dysfunction, which may result in an altered pattern of cardiovascular adaptation to extrauterine life.

Treatment of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension with Oral Sildenafil

Sildenafil, a selective phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor, was administered orally to a 14-year-old girl with primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg/4 h on a daily basis, increased to doses of 1 and 2 mg/kg at monthly intervals. Following therapy, oxygen saturation increased and exercise capacity improved significantly, but with no change in pulmonary haemodynamics. No side-effects were noted. Sildenafil may be beneficial in children with PPH, but the mechanism of benefit is unclear.

Growth up to 2 Years in Relationship to Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy

Smoking during pregnancy causes intrauterine growth retardation, but the subsequent growth of these children is not well understood. Two hundred four newborns of mothers who smoked during pregnancy and 204 control neonates were studied. Children were re-examined at 1 and 2 years. Newborns of mothers who smoked 1-9 cigarettes/day had similar anthropometric parameters with the controls. Significant retardation in weight, length, and head circumference was present in the newborns whose mothers smoked >10 cigarettes/day. At follow-up, in children of smoking mothers the retardation of weight improved, head circumference remained stable, and length retardation increased even in children whose mothers smoked <10 cigarettes/day.

Periconceptional tobacco smoking and Xisolated congenital heart defects in the neonatal period

BACKGROUND Tobacco use in pregnancy is considered a human developmental toxicant and potential teratogen. The aim of the study was to test for a possible association between periconceptional tobacco smoking and congenital heart disease (CHD) in the neonatal period. METHODS Maternal and infant characteristics of 157 neonates diagnosed with CHD at the University of Patras Medical School were collected and were compared with 208 normal neonates (aged 1-28 days) that were referred for echocardiography during a specified 3-year period. RESULTS In neonates with CHD 64 of 157 mothers (40.8%) reported smoking in pregnancy, whereas in the control group 41 of 208 mothers (19.7%) were smokers (p=0.000). Logistic regression analysis with pregestational diabetes, history of influenza-like illness in the first trimester, therapeutic drug exposure in pregnancy, maternal age, parity, family history of CHD, infant gender, prematurity and paternal smoking, as potential confounding factors showed that periconceptional tobacco smoking was associated with increased risk of CHD in the offspring (OR=2.750, 95% CI=1.659-4.476, p=0.00001). The incidence of neonatal heart disease in women who were non-smokers or smoked 1-10 and ≥11 cigarettes per day increased with the level of fetal tobacco exposure (35.8% versus 55.3% versus 64.3%, x2-test=20.303, p=0.000), suggesting a dose effect. CONCLUSIONS The results of the study are indicative of an association between periconceptional tobacco exposure and increased risk of CHD in the neonatal period. The potential role of gestational smoking as a risk factor for specific heart defect subgroups requires the conduction of large population based epidemiological studies.

Diagnostic role of plasma BNP levels in neonates with signs of congenital heart disease

BACKGROUND Only a few studies have examined the relationship of plasma BNP levels and congenital heart disease (CHD) in neonates and these mainly concern preterm neonates with patent ductus arteriosus. We aimed to investigate the diagnostic role of plasma BNP in neonates admitted in the neonatal intensive care unit, (NICU), with signs of congenital heart disease (CHD). METHODS Prospective assessment of plasma BNP levels in 75 consecutive neonates with suspected CHD (heart murmur, respiratory distress, or cyanosis), admitted in the NICU of our university hospital. The final diagnosis was done with echocardiography. RESULTS Haemodynamically significant Left to Right shunts, (hsLtR), were found in 29 neonates, insignificant LtR shunts in 22, no heart disease in 15 and cyanotic heart disease in 9. BNP levels were significantly higher in neonates with hsLtR shunts vs. all other groups (logBNP 2.9 ± 0.5 pg/ml vs. 1.5 ± 0.4 pg/ml vs. 1.5 ± 0.3 pg/ml vs. 1.6 ± 0.2 pg/ml, p < 0.0001). Plasma BNP levels > 132.5 pg/ml had 93.1% sensitivity and 100% specificity for diagnosing hsLtR shunts (accuracy 99.6%). CONCLUSIONS Plasma BNP is a reliable test for diagnosing hsLtR shunts in the NICU. This will alert the neonatologist for ordering an echocardiographic examination, or if the latter is not available, for transferring the neonate to an appropriate tertiary centre with neonatal-paediatric cardiology facilities. Normal BNP levels imply the absence of a significant LtR shunt, but may not exclude cyanotic heart disease.

Effects of two nebulization regimens on heart rate variability during acute asthma exacerbations in children.

Analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) has been used to evaluate changes in sympathovagal balance. The present study was designed to investigate the influence of two therapeutic regimens on autonomic cardiovascular regulation during acute asthma exacerbations (AAE). Twenty children, 7–13 years of age, with moderate or severe AAE were randomized in two equal groups to receive either 0.15 mg/kg/dose salbutamol (group 1) or a combination of lower-dose salbutamol (0.10 mg/kg/dose) and ipratropium bromide (5 mcg/kg/dose) (group 2). Exacerbations were treated with three nebulizations (Tx) of either regimen given 20 minutes apart. HRV indices [total power, high-frequency component (HF), low-frequency component (LF), and LF:HF ratio] were analyzed at specific time intervals during the management of AAE. Therapy had a significant time-dependent main effect on total power (p = 0.001), LF (p < 0.0001), and HF (p = 0.005) but reached only borderline significance for LF:HF ratio (p = 0.053). The decrease in LF was more pronounced in group 2 vs. group 1 at 10 minutes post-Tx1 (p = 0.034) and at 10 minutes post-Tx2 (p = 0.05), but there was no significant difference between groups at 10 and 20 minutes post-Tx3. There were no significant differences between groups in any of the other HRV indices. Both regimens improved FEV1 (p = 0.0001) to the same magnitude. During AAE, three consecutive inhalation treatments with either high-dose salbutamol-only or lower-dose salbutamol plus ipratropium bromide combination, resulting in similar FEV1 improvement, cause domination of sympathetic over parasympathetic nervous system of similar overall magnitude but distinct patterns of HRV indices.

Congenital heart disease in twins: The contribution of type of conception and chorionicity

BACKGROUND Increased incidence of congenital heart disease (CHD) has been reported in the offspring of monochorionic twin gestations. Assisted reproductive technology (ART), which is related to increased rates of twinning, has also been associated with higher risk of birth defects. We studied the incidence of CHD in a cohort of twins to clarify the contribution of type of conception and chorionicity. METHODS Data concerning 874 live-born twins of which at least one was admitted in our Neonatal Unit during 1995-2012 were analysed. Forty-five % (N=197) of the gestations resulted from ART (in vitro fertilisation or intracytoplasmic sperm insertion). RESULTS In the ART group 32/389 (8.2%) had CHD compared to 21/485 (4.3%) infants conceived naturally (OR 1.90, 95%CI 1.08-3.34, p=0.024). Spontaneous-conception gestations had higher incidence of monochorionic placentation (47/245 versus 4/197, p<0.001), and included younger mothers (29.1±5.2 versus 33.9±5.5years, p<0.001) who had higher parity (median 2 [range 1-7] versus 1 Pinborg (2005), Blondel and Kaminski (2002), Knopman et al. (2014), Kyvik and Derom (2006) ; p<0.001). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that ART (OR 2.60, 95% CI 1.24-5.45) and monochorionicity (OR 3.49, 95% CI 1.57-7.77) were significant determinants of CHD, independently of maternal age, parity, and the gender of the offspring. CONCLUSIONS We confirmed that monochorionic twins have increased risk of CHD and we documented a higher incidence of CHD in ART twins independently of chorionicity. We suggest improvement of echocardiographic skills of health care professionals involved in prenatal screening and foetal cardiology referral of ART dichorionic twins with suspicious findings at screening, in addition to all monochorionic gestations.

An unusual case of cor triatriatum sinister presenting as pulmonary oedema during labor

A 35 years old second gravida was admitted to our department with acute pulmonary oedema after labor. Echocardiography disclosed an intra-atrial membrane prolapsing through the mitral valve in diastole, with two small orifices creating a mean pressure gradient of 7.9 mm Hg. However the membrane clearly originated away from the mitral valve ring, proximal to the left atrial appendage, consistent with cor triatriatum sinister. Cor triatriatum sinister rarely presents in adulthood and although forward movement of the membrane towards the mitral valve funnel has been described, such a degree of prolapse through the valve has never been reported.