Vedide Tavli

Cardiovascular risk factors and noninvasive assessment of arterial structure and function in obese Turkish children

Obesity is associated with a number of risk factors, such as hyperlipidemia, hyperinsulinemia, hypertension, and early atherosclerosis. Evidence indicates that atherosclerosis begins in childhood and progresses over decades. In this work, we examined the relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and ultrasonographic signs of subclinical atherosclerosis in 77 obese children and adolescents compared to 40 non-obese healthy peers. Carotis intima media thickness (cIMT), carotid artery compliance (CAC), brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), and established cardiovascular risk factors were studied. In the obese patients, cIMT was significantly increased (0.57xa0mm vs 0.45xa0mm, pu2009<u20090.001) whereas CAC (1.84% vs 3.29%, pu2009<u20090.001) and FMD (9.67 % vs 14.81%, pu2009<u20090.001) were significantly decreased. In multiple linear regression analysis, a relation was observed between cIMT, CAC, brachial FMD on one hand, and body mass index (BMI) on the other. Among the lipid anomalies, only hypertriglyceridemia was found to be positively correlated with cIMT. Additionally, we found a significant association between waist circumference (WC) and FMD. These findings indicate that obesity in children is associated with arterial wall alterations and endothelial dysfunction. In hyperlipidemic situations, only hypertriglyceridemia was found to be positively correlated with cIMT. This finding has consistently indicated TG to be a risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis. To our knowledge this is the first study to determine the relation between FMD and WC, which is used as a parameter of obesity in childhood.

Spectral and Time-Domain Analyses of Heart-Rate Variability During Head-Upright Tilt-Table Testing in Children with Neurally Mediated Syncope

Neurocardiac syncope (NS) is a common cause of syncope in children. The mechanism, though related to abnormalities in autonomic function, has not been fully elucidated, particularly in pediatric patients. This study assessed the heart-rate variability (HRV) response to head-upright tilt-table test (HUT) in children with NS and normal volunteers. Spectral and time-domain analysis of HRV was used to assess changes in autonomic function in 27 children (9 male, mean age 12.3 ± 1.6 years) with a history of at least one episode of syncope and positive passive HUT and 27 age-matched normal volunteers with negative passive HUT before and during postural tilt and to attempt to relate such changes to specific types of hemodynamic response to tilt. Frequency-domain measurements of the high-(HF) and low-(LF) frequency bands and the ratio LF/HF were derived from Holter recordings and computed by fast Fourier analysis for 5-min intervals. Time-domain measurements of the SDNN, SDNNI, SDANN, RMSSD, and triangular index were derived from 24-h Holter recordings. There were no significant differences between clinical characteristics, time-domain, and basal frequency domain parameters of the groups. Mean values of LF and LF/HF ratio was increased and HF was decreased significantly in response to tilt in both patient and control groups. Mean values of LF and LF/HF ratio were higher and HF was lower compared to controls immediately after tilt. LF and LF/HF ratio showed a statistically significant decrease and a significant increase in HF during syncope in patients. The three subgroups of patients had similar patterns of changes in autonomic activity. The results of this study show that although the basal autonomic function was similar to that of the control group, patients with NS have a different pattern of response to the HUT. In our study, patients with NS demonstrated an exaggerated response to the HUT. This exaggerated response may be the factor that activates the pathological reflexes of NS. The pathological mechanism leading to NS appears to be independent of the specific type of hemodynamic response to HUT.

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) and Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Adolescents

OBJECTIVE: Vitamin B12 is involved in the production of adrenaline from noradrenaline. It is the cofactor involved in catecholamine degradation and plays a role in myelin synthesis. The current study aimed to investigate the association between vitamin B12 levels and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) during adolescence when accelerated myelin synthesis increases the vitamin B12 need. METHODS: One hundred twenty-five patients (mean age 11.1 ± 2.3 years; 60% female) reporting short-term loss of consciousness and diagnosed with vasovagal syncope based on anamnesis with a normal distribution and 50 control subjects (mean age 10.94 ± 2.5 years, 62% female) were included in this study. Serum vitamin B12, folic acid, and ferritin levels were measured prospectively in addition to other tests. We defined vitamin B12 deficiency as a serum level <300 pg/mL.1–4 RESULTS: Vitamin B12 levels were significantly lower in the patient group compared with the control group (47.2% vs 18%, P < .001). In the patient group, children with the POTS pattern had significantly lower vitamin B12 levels compared with children without the POTS response (P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin B12 deficiency in patients with POTS may lead to sympathetic nervous system baroreceptor dysfunction.

Assessment of myocardial involvement using cardiac troponin-I and echocardiography in rheumatic carditis in İzmir, Turkey

Background: Acute rheumatic carditis is still a major problem in developing countries. Cardiac troponin‐I (cTnI) has been identified as a sensitive and specific marker in the diagnosis of myocarditis in children and adults.

Predictors of Chronic Valvular Disease in Patients With Rheumatic Carditis

This study investigated the predictors of chronic valvular disease in children with rheumatic carditis. The short- to mid-term follow-up records of 88 patients (mean age, 10.68xa0±xa02.5xa0years) with chronic rheumatic heart disease were reviewed. The mean follow-up period was 2.95xa0±xa01.4xa0years. Valvular involvement completely improved for 24 of the patients (27%) during the follow-up period. The multivariate logistic regression analysis found initial left ventricular dilation to be a significant independent risk factor associated with the persistence of either valvular involvement or mitral regurgitation. Furthermore, persistence of mitral regurgitation was found to be strongly correlated with cardiac murmur at admission. No significant correlation was detected between age, gender, severity of valvular involvements at initial evaluation, and chronic valvular disease. The majority of patients with rheumatic carditis had normal left ventricular systolic function. However, a significant proportion of patients had left ventricular dilation, reported in the medical literature to be associated with the severity of valve involvement. This study found no relation between initial severity of valve involvements and chronic valvular disease. For this reason, increased left ventricular end-diastolic diameter may be secondary to myocardial involvement independent of valvular regurgitation. The findings in this study also suggest that subclinic carditis had a better outcome than clinically evident carditis.

P-wave dispersion: an indicator of cardiac autonomic dysfunction in children with neurocardiogenic syncope.

Neurocardiogenic syncope is the most frequent cause of fainting in childhood and adolescence. Although head-up tilt table testing (HUTT) was previously considered as the reference standard in the diagnosis of syncope, in children with a typical history of reflex syncope, normal physical examination, and electrocardiogram (ECG) are sufficient to cease investigation; however, according to recent reports, TT is indicated in patients in whom this diagnosis cannot be proven by initial evaluation. The hypothesis of this study is that P-wave dispersion (PWD) can be a useful electrocardiographic predictor of cardiac autonomic dysfunction in children with vasovagal syncope (VVS). The study was designed prospectively and included 50 children with positive and 50 children with negative HUTT who presented with at least two previous unexplained episodes of syncope as well as 50 sex- and age-matched healthy children as the control group. All standard 12-lead ECGs were obtained in patients and controls, and the difference between maximum and minimum durations of the P wave was defined as the PWD. A total of 100 children with VVS and 50 healthy controls were evaluated for the study. The P maximum values of HUTT-positive (HUTT[+]) patients were significantly greater than those in the HUTT-negative (HUTT[−]) and control groups(pxa0<xa00.05). In addition, mean PWD values were 50.2 ± 18.5, 39.6 ± 11.2 and 32.0 ± 11.2 ms in the HUTT(+), HUTT(–), and control groups, respectively. The difference between groups was statistically significant (pxa0<xa00.05). We suggest that PWD is an early sign of cardiac autonomic dysfunction in children with neurally mediated syncope and can be used as a noninvasive electrocardiographic test to evaluate orthostatic intolerance syndromes.

Comparison of oral and intravenous Ibuprofen for medical closure of patent ductus arteriosus: which one is better?

OBJECTIVEnIntravenous ibuprofen is an expensive drug that is being used currently for treating and preventing patent ductus arteriosus. Although oral ibuprofen is much cheaper, there is limited data published about its safety and efficacy. The aim of this study was to compare two forms of ibuprofen in terms of safety and efficacy in closure of patent ductus arteriosus.nnnDESIGNnThis is a single-center retrospective study.nnnSETTINGnData were collected from patients files of preterm infants who were hospitalized at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Dr. Behcet Uz Childrens Hospital between April 2009 and June 2010.nnnPATIENTSnSix hundred sixty infants were evaluated by echocardiography between 24 and 48 postnatal hours. Clinically and hemodynamically significant ductus arteriosus was defined in 66 infants with gestational age less than 32 weeks and birth weight less than 1500 g.nnnINTERVENTIONSnOral or intravenous ibuprofen (loading dose: 10 mg/kg on day 1, followed by maintenance dose: 5 mg/kg on days 2 and 3) was administered.nnnOUTCOME MEASURESnTreatment success was defined as a completely closed duct without reopening on follow-up. Drug-associated renal, gastrointestinal, cerebral, hematological, and metabolic side effects were monitored and compared between treatment groups.nnnRESULTSnDuctal closure rates were 100% and 97.6%, respectively, in the oral and intravenous groups. Hypernatremia was the remarkable side effect in the intravenous group, whereas bronchopulmonary dysplasia and septicemia were prominent in the oral group. No statistically significant difference could be demonstrated between the groups in terms of mortality rates.nnnCONCLUSIONnOral ibuprofen therapy is as efficacious as intravenous ibuprofen with some concerns about increased sepsis and bronchopulmonary dysplasia incidence. However, comprehensive and large-scale pharmacokinetic studies are required in order to prove this efficacy. On the other hand, intravenous ibuprofen still remains to be the drug of choice for patent ductus arteriosus but only with meticulous control of serum sodium levels in smaller infants.

Relationship between ventricular function assessed by tissue Doppler imaging and exercise capacity in patients after repair of tetralogy of Fallot: an observational study.

OBJECTIVEnThe present study aims to study the relationship between tissue Doppler echocardiography (TDE) indices of right ventricle and exercise capacity in patients after total correction for tetralogy of Fallot (ToF).nnnMETHODSnThis cross-sectional observational study included 20 patients, after undergoing total correction procedure for ToF diagnosed with mild/moderate pulmonary regurgitation and 30 age-matched healthy children. In the postoperative period, patients were invited to hospital for evaluation of the ventricular functions by 2D, M-mode, Doppler (DE) echocardiography and TDE and exercise testing to evaluate the effort capacity. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney U and Chi-square tests, and Pearson correlation analysis.nnnRESULTSnCompared with the controls; the mitral annular peak systolic flow velocity (Sm) value was significantly lower, while isovolumic contraction time (IVCT), isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT) and myocardial performance index (MPI) values obtained at the tricuspid and mitral (MV) valves were significantly higher (p<0.05 for all) in patients after ToF repair. There was a negative correlation between the exercise period and the total correction age (r=-0.20, p=0.015) and the same negative correlation existed between the exercise period and METS (r=-0.25, p=0.010). MV IVCT with DE and TDE was found to be correlated with METS (r=-0.45, p=0.04). Left ventricular MPI was found to be correlated with maximum heart rate (r=-0.20, p=0.03). By DE, tricuspid valve deceleration time and Sm peak flow velocity with TDE were significantly correlated with METS (r=-0.30, p=0.04; r=-025, p=0.005, respectively). MPI calculated with TDE was correlated with maximum heart rate (r=-0.15, <0.01).nnnCONCLUSIONnEven if patients, undergone total correction surgery for ToF were asymptomatic or had minimal clinical symptoms, MPI index assessed by pulse wave TDE and exercise testing may allow early diagnosis of right ventricle dysfunction.

Transcatheter closure of congenital coronary arteriovenous fistula using detachable balloon technique

Congenital coronary arteriovenous fistula (CAF) is a direct communication between coronary artery and lumen of any cardiac chamber, coronary sinus, the pulmonary artery, or the superior vena cava. Its incidence is 0.2-0.4% of all congenital cardiac defects (1). Surgical closure of CAF was initially reported in 1983 with low morbidity and mortality rates (2). Since then, successful transcatheter closure of congenital CAF in children have been reported, using coils, detachable balloons, umbrellas, polyvinyl alcohol foam, and other occluding devices (3, 4). Complications after transcatheter occlusion are rare, and avoids the need of surgery. Here we describe a case of CAF treated with a detachable balloon embolisation.

Echocardiographic evaluation of cardiac functions in newborns of mildly preeclamptic pregnant women within postnatal 24–48 hours

Abstract The aim of this study is to detect preeclampsia-related cardiac dysfunction within 24–48 hours of delivery in newborns born from preeclamptic mothers. Forty newborns from mildly preeclamptic mothers formed the study group and the control group was formed by 40 healthy newborns. Cardiac function for the groups were evaluated using conventional echocardiography and myocardial performance index (MPI) within the first 24–48u2009hours of their lifetime and the results of both groups were compared. A significant difference between the groups was observed especially in the PW Doppler MPI measurements (the left ventricle MPI 0.37u2009±u20090.09 and 0.26u2009±u20090.11, pu2009<u2009.001; the right ventricle MPI 0.29u2009±u20090.08 and 0.26u2009±u20090.07, pu2009<u2009.035) for the control group and the study group. Elongation in the left and right ventricle MPI was detected to be more significant in terms of comparing systolic and diastolic functions to determine preeclampsia-related cardiac injury in newborns from preeclamptic mothers within the first 24–48u2009hours of their lifetime. Impact statement Today, the methods which may detect cardiac injury earlier than conventional echocardiographic methods are used for evaluating cardiac functions. Among them, myocardial performance index (MPI) measurement with PW Doppler is the most common ones. While studies are available in the literature evaluating foetal cardiac functions with MPI in foetuses of preeclamptic women, studies evaluating cardiac functions with MPI index within the first 24–48u2009hours in postnatal period are not available. This is the first study to detect cardiac injury by measuring cardiac functions of the newborns of preeclamptic babies using conventional echocardiography (EF, SF, mitral and tricuspid E/A) and myocardial performance index within the first 24–48 hours of life and compare these values with those of a control group composed of healthy newborns with similar demographic characteristics. According to the results of the study, elongation in right and left ventricle MPI was detected to be more significant compared to systolic and diastolic functions for determining preeclampsia-related cardiac injury in newborns of preeclamptic mothers within 24–48u2009hours of delivery. Ventricle functions of the newborns of preeclamptic mothers should also be evaluated with MPI measurement besides conventional echocardiographic measurements.