Hakan Altin

Association Between Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Cardiovascular Risk in Obese Children and Adolescents

BACKGROUND The recent rise in the prevalence of obesity likely explains nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) epidemic worldwide. We evaluated cardiac functions, cardiovascular risk, and associated parameters with grades of NAFLD in obese children. METHODS Four hundred obese children were enrolled in the study. Obese children with NAFLD were classified in 2 subgroups according to ultrasonographic visualizing. Ninety-three obese children with NAFLD (mean age 11.73 ± 2.72 years in group 2 and 12.69 ± 2.61 years in group 3) were compared with 307 age- and sex-matched non-NAFLD obese children and 150 control subjects. Laboratory parameters were measured during the fasting state. Pulsed and tissue Doppler echocardiography were performed. Intima-media (IMT) and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) thicknesses were measured. RESULTS NAFLD groups had a significantly higher body mass index (29.15 ± 3.42 and 30.46 ± 4.60; P < 0.001), total adipose tissue mass (37.95 ± 4.46% and 46.57 ± 6.45%; P < 0.001), higher insulin, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase levels. Increased end-systolic thickness of the interventricular septum (P < 0.001), larger left ventricular mass (P < 0.003) and index (P < 0.003) were found in NAFLD groups. Children with NAFLD had higher Tei index values. Also, carotid artery IMT and EAT thickness were significantly higher in obese children. Waist and hip circumference, total cholesterol level, total adipose tissue mass, and interventricular septum were statistically different in NAFLD groups. CONCLUSIONS Children with NAFLD had mildly altered left and right ventricular functions and all obese children had increased IMT and EAT thickness. Also, grade of liver steatosis was positively correlated with total adipose tissue mass and interventricular septum systolic thickness.

Evaluation of cardiac functions in term small for gestational age newborns with mild growth retardation: A serial conventional and tissue Doppler imaging echocardiographic study

BACKGROUND The aim of this study is to evaluate the cardiac functions of term small for gestational age (SGA) babies with mild growth retardation by echocardiography during the postnatal period. METHODS AND RESULTS Thirty term SGA (2271±207 g/38-41 weeks (mean 39.5 weeks)) and 30 term AGA (3298±338 g/38-41 weeks (mean 39 weeks)) newborns as the control group, with normal general health status and with no nutritional problems were evaluated at three time points, on the 3rd postnatal day, at the 3rd and the 6th months. In the initial analysis, heart rate, left ventricular end diastolic diameter index (LVEdDI), cardiac index (CI), all E/A, Em/Am and E/Em ratios, pulsed wave Doppler myocardial performance index (MPI), and tissue Doppler imaging MPI values were higher in SGA babies than the control group. In the last analysis, only heart rate, LVEdDI and CI values were different between SGA and control groups. CONCLUSIONS Systolic and diastolic cardiac dysfunctions were determined in SGA babies with mild growth retardation during the first 6 months of postnatal period. Any disease that affects the hemodynamic stability of these patients during postnatal period may lead to early progressive deterioration in cardiac functions. Furthermore, many of the cardiac functions of these babies have been improved about the 6th month period, and high levels of heart rate and LVEdDI may be suggested as an indicator of cardiac remodeling.

PHACE syndrome with growth hormone deficiency and absence of bilateral internal carotid arteries: a case report.

Abstract:  PHACE syndrome is characterized by posterior fossa malformations (P), large facial hemangiomas (H), arterial anomalies (A), cardiac anomalies or coarctation of aorta (C), and eye anomalies (E) and has striking female predominance. Endocrine abnormalities have recently been described in these patients, involving the thyroid and pituitary glands. We report the case of a 2‐year‐old girl with the clinical features of PHACE with absence of bilateral internal carotid arteries and isolated growth hormone deficiency.

Evaluation of epicardial adipose tissue, carotid intima-media thickness and ventricular functions in obese children and adolescents

Abstract Background: Childhood obesity is a cardiovascular risk factor. Objective: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) thickness, carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and cardiac functions of obese children and their correlations were evaluated. Subjects: Five hundred obese children and 150 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Methods: Anthropometric, laboratory data and echocardiographic measurements of IMT, EAT and cardiac functions were determined. Results: Increased M-mode echocardiographic measurements, E/e′ ratios, Tei index values and decreased E/A and e′/a′ ratios (where E and A are early and late mitral/tricuspid diastolic velocities, respectively, and e′ and a′ are peak early diastolic and peak atrial systolic myocardial velocities, respectively), were determined in the obese group. Also, carotid artery IMT and EAT thickness were significantly higher in obese children. Carotid artery IMT, EAT thickness and left ventricular mass (LVM) were found to be strongly associated with Tei index values. Conclusion: Obesity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. In our study, we showed that obese children have early subclinical systolic and diastolic dysfunctions. Also, these cardiac impairments are correlated with the increase in IMT, EAT thickness and LVM.

The role of tenascin-C and oxidative stress in rheumatic and congenital heart valve diseases: an observational study.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of tenascin-C (TnC) and total oxidant-antioxidant status to rheumatic or congenital heart valve diseases (HVD) in pediatric patients. METHODS Fifty pediatric patients (25 rheumatic HVD patients and 25 congenital HVD patients) and 20 healthy age-matched control subjects, aged 3-17 years, were enrolled in this observational and cross-sectional study. Serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI) and TnC levels were compared among the groups. ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS Serum TnC level of the patients with rheumatic HVD [median 9.09 (0.94-46.30) ng/mL] was significantly higher than both congenital HVD and control groups [median 2.97 (0.66-11.80) ng/mL; p<0.01, 4.72±1.77 ng/mL; p<0.05, respectively]. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the congenital and control groups in terms of serum TnC level. The levels of serum TAC, TOS and OSI were found to be statistically similar in all groups. In addition, there were no correlations between the level of TnC, and TOS and OSI. CONCLUSION Tenascin-C can be used as a biochemical marker in the differential diagnosis of rheumatic and congenital HVD. As the oxidant and antioxidant systems were found to be in equilibrium in rheumatic and congenital HVD, oxidative stress can be thought not to have a marked role in the etiopathogenesis of rheumatic HVD during childhood.

Evaluation of Serum Ischemia Modified Albumin Levels in Acute Rheumatic Fever Before and After Therapy

ObjectiveTo investigate ischemia modified albumin (IMA) levels in children with acute rheumatic fever (ARF) before and after therapy and compare them with those of controls.MethodsTwenty seven patients with ARF and 18 healthy, age and sex matched children were included in the study. The diagnosis of ARF was established according to the modified Jones criteria. Follow-up studies were made when acute phase reactants [erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP)] levels returned normal. IMA levels were measured using the rapid and colorimetric method with the albumin cobalt binding test.ResultsIMA levels were significantly higher in ARF group (p < 0.001) compared with controls at the time on admission. IMA (absorbance units) was measured as 0.41 ± 0.10 in the control group, 0.55 (0.44–1.13) in the study group before treatment and 0.48 ± 0.12 in the study group after treatment. After treatment, statistically important decrements were determined in the levels of ESR (p<0.001), CRP (p<0.001) and IMA (p<0.01). There was no significant difference for IMA levels between after treatment and control group. IMA levels at the time on admission correlated positively with ESR (r = 0.605, p < 0.01) and CRP (r = 0.543, p < 0.01).ConclusionsThe present study shows that increased serum IMA levels in patients with ARF at the time of diagnosis is a sign of increased inflammation. Thus, serum IMA levels may be used as a follow-up marker like CRP and ESR for evaluating the efficacy of treatment in ARF.

Unilateral pulmonary artery agenesis: clinical and laboratory findings of four cases and diagnostic clues for pediatricians.

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QT and P-wave dispersions in rheumatic heart disease: Prospective long-term follow up

Simple electrocardiogram (ECG) markers have been used to evaluate conduction times. Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is an autoimmune disease that affects these conduction times. The aim of this prospective long‐term follow‐up study was to evaluate QT, QTc and P‐wave dispersions in children with ARF and chronic rheumatic heart disease (CRHD).

Ventricular septal defect, developed due to the coronary artery injury after blunt chest trauma in childhood

In the literature, cardiac response associated with blunt chest trauma in children has been reported generally as case reports, and interventricular septal rupture due to trauma is quite rare. Interventricular septal rupture can develop even in the absence of visible signs of a trauma because of the flexibility of the chest structure in children. In the present case, a seven-year-old boy with interventricular septal rupture at the mid-muscular region and left ventricle pseudoaneurysm developed due to injury to the left anterior descending coronary artery after a traffic accident is reported. Patients with cardiac murmur detected on physical examination after a blunt chest trauma must be considered as cardiac injury, and in those with signs of ischemia detected on electrocardiography, it should not be forgotten that the coronary artery may be affected.

Thymoma Associated With Loeys-dietz Syndrome Type I

Loeys-Dietz syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant disorder characterized by the involvement of cardiovascular, craniofacial and skeletal systems. The main etiology of the disease is the mutation in the transforming growth factor betareceptor type 1 and 2 genes. Today, Loeys-Dietz syndrome has been classified into two subtypes due to the presence of craniofacial involvement. These patients have progressive aortic enlargement which increases the risk of dissection and rupture. So, delay in the diagnosis may be associated with poor prognosis. We present a new case with thymoma diagnosed as Loeys-Dietz syndrome type 1. Also, this is the first report of a tumor in Loeys-Dietz syndrome according to the current literature review. (Marmara Medical Journal 2012;25:103-6)