Zubeyir Kilic

Coronary risk factors in Turkish schoolchildren: Randomized cross‐sectional study*

Abstract Background: There is a strong association between the extent of atherosclerotic lesions in aorta and coronary arteries and antemortem risk factors in children and young adults. Cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of death in adults in Turkey. However, the data about the extent of coronary risk factors in Turkish children is very limited. The aim of this cross‐sectional study was to investigate the prevalence of coronary risk factors in Turkish schoolchildren living in Eskişehir, Turkey.

Carotid intima-media thickness and elastic properties of aortas in normotensive children of hypertensive parents

A significant correlation between hypertension history and high blood pressure has been observed with regard to age, race and gender. Investigating carotid intima-media thickness and aortic stiffness prior to the development of hypertension in children of hypertensive parents enabled us to evaluate these patients for subclinical atherosclerosis. We compared carotid intima-media thickness, aortic strain, distensibility, stiffness indices and elastic modulus in 67 normotensive children whose parents had a diagnosis of essential hypertension and 39 normotensive children with no parental history of hypertension. Although there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, average blood pressure and pulse pressure (P>0.05), systolic blood pressures were higher among patients 15 years and older in the study group. No significant differences were noted between the control and study groups regarding interventricular septal thickness, left-ventricular posterior wall thickness, left-ventricular systolic and diastolic diameter and aortic annulus diameter (P>0.05). The left atrium diameter was larger in the study group compared with that in the control group, mainly because of the values of the 15-year-old and older children (P=0.01). The mean, maximum and minimum values of carotid intima-media thickness were significantly different in the study group compared with the control group among all age groups (P<0.001, P<0.001, P=0.006, respectively). Aortic systolic and diastolic diameters were larger in normotensive children of hypertensive parents compared with the control group (P=0.014, P=0.001, respectively). Although there were no differences between the study and control groups regarding aortic strain, aortic distensibility, elastic modulus and stiffness indices (P>0.05), aortic distensibility was lower, and aortic stiffness indices were higher among children 15 years and older in the study group. An increase in the carotid intima-media thickness in all age groups and a decrease in aortic elastic properties in 15-year-old and older children of hypertensive parents may indicate subclinical atherosclerosis in these apparently healthy children.

The value of serum N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels in the differential diagnosis and follow-up of congestive cardiac failure and respiratory distress due to pulmonary aetiologies in infants and children

OBJECTIVE We aimed to determine whether N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide can differentiate between cardiac and pulmonary aetiologies of dyspnoea, if N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide can be used for evaluating the effect of treatment in cardiac failure, and for predicting severe pulmonary diseases that are complicated by cardiac failure. METHODS In all, 76 children with dyspnoea were enrolled; 41 of them suffered cardiac failure - 25 caused by cardiac disease, 16 caused by pulmonary disease - and 35 had dyspnoea due to pulmonary disease. The control group consisted of 32 children. We calculated Ross scores, analysed N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels, and evaluated left ventricular systolic functions by echocardiography. RESULTS N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels were significantly higher in children with cardiac failure than in those with pulmonary disease and in controls (medians 7321, 241, 87.71 picograms per millilitre, respectively), were higher in children with cardiac failure due to pulmonary disease than in those with only pulmonary disease (medians 2728, 241 picograms per millilitre, respectively), and were higher in children who died from cardiac failure than in survivors (p < 0.05). After treatment of cardiac failure, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels decreased significantly (p < 0.001). The cut-off level of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide for differentiating cardiac failure from pulmonary disease was 726.8 picograms per millilitre, sensitivity 100%, specificity 94.3%. CONCLUSIONS N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels can differentiate dyspnoea due to cardiac failure from pulmonary diseases. It can also be used to monitor the effects of treatment of cardiac failure and to estimate the prognosis, as well as to predict pulmonary diseases that are complicated with cardiac failure.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme gene insertion/deletion polymorphism frequency in normotensive children with a positive family history of essential hypertension

Aim:  To evaluate the possible relationship between blood pressure (BP) and angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) gene insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in normotensive children with a positive family history of essential hypertension (EHT).

Severe fatal course of axial mesodermal dysplasia spectrum associated with complex cardiac defect in an infant of a mother with insulin dependent diabetes

Axial mesodermal dysplasia spectrum (AMDS) includes the features of other malformation complexes or sequences, such as oculo‐auriculo‐vertebral spectrum (OAVS) and sacral dysgenesis. We describe a new patient, an infant born to a type 1 diabetic mother, with the phenotype of AMDS as well as severe congenital cardiac anomalies including transposition of the great arteries and an atrioventricular septal defect. Congenital heart defects had been reported with OAVS, sacral dysgenesis, and in an infant born to a diabetic mother and combinations of these findings have been reported in the same patient. To our knowledge, this is the first patient with AMDS with transposition of great arteries and an atrioventricular septal defect and the second patient with AMDS who had history of parental consanguinity. The mechanism through which maternal diabetes mellitus leads to malformations is not entirely clear, but the glycemic control is essential in the care of mothers.

Macrocephaly-Cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita with atrial septal aneurysm and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings

Macrocephaly–Cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita (M-CMTC) is a syndrome of the association of macrocephaly and at least two of the main reported findings such as overgrowth, cutis marmorata, polydactly/syndactyly, asymetric growth pattern, nevus flammeus, cavernous hemangioma, and central nervous system abnormalities. 1–6 The diagnosis of M-CMTC may be possible based on the clinical findings because characteristic laboratory or pathologic features do not exist to define this syndrome. Herein, a new M-CMTC case is presented, with atrial septal defect (ASD), atrial septal aneurysm and MRI findings of CNS dysgenesis. This is the first report of M-CMTC from Turkey.

Relationships between the children and the parents for coronary risk factors

Abstract Background : We aimed to investigate the relation of coronary risk factors in children to coronary heart disease (CHD) or coronary risk factors in their parents.

Growth hormone and the risk of atherosclerosis in growth hormone-deficient children.

OBJECTIVE Growth hormone-deficient (GHD) children have been found to have higher cardiovascular mortality rates and an increased carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT). This study investigated the risk of atherosclerosis and the effect of recombinant growth hormone (rhGH) replacement therapy on the lipid profile and CIMT in GHD children. DESIGN A total of 40 GHD children (mean age: 12.3±2.04 years) were investigated before and after 1 year of rhGH therapy at a dosage of 0.03 mg/kg/day and 40 age- and sex-matched healthy children (mean age: 12.1±2.23 years) were enrolled as a control group, in the same pubertal stage. Fasting blood samples were obtained for lipid profile, IGF-1, and IGFBP-3 analyses. The patients and controls underwent CIMT measurements before and after 1 year of rhGH treatment. RESULTS The growth velocity and height standard deviation scores increased significantly over 1 year of treatment in all patients. The total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and atherogenic index (Ai) values were increased while the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol value was decreased in the GHD children, as compared to the controls; however, the triglyceride (TG) level was comparable. After 1 year of treatment, a significant decrease in the TC, LDL cholesterol, and Ai values as well as a significant increase in the HDL value were observed in the GHD patients, with the values becoming similar to those in the control group. The mean CIMT was significantly greater in the GHD subjects than in the controls. After 1 year of therapy, the CIMT in the GHD subjects had decreased significantly; however, it was still greater than that in the control group. IGF-1 was negatively correlated with TC, LDL cholesterol, Ai, right CIMT, and left CIMT. CONCLUSIONS GHD is associated with increased atherosclerotic risk in children. An improved lipid profile and CIMT were detected after 1 year of hormone replacement therapy.

Plasma adiponectin levels and relations with cytokines in children with acute rheumatic fever.

AIM We aimed to investigate the role of adiponectin in acute rheumatic fever by evaluating correlations with cytokines and acute-phase reactants. METHODS Patients were divided into three groups by clinical findings. Group 1 included 8 patients with only chorea, Group 2 included 13 patients with arthritis and carditis, and Group 3 included 12 patients with only carditis. A total of 54 age- and gender-matched children were enrolled in the control group. Blood samples were drawn for analysing acute-phase reactants, adiponectin, tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and interleukin-8 levels at baseline on Days 2, 5, 10, and 15, and at 8 weeks. RESULTS There was no statistically significant difference between baseline age, gender, body mass index, serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein levels of the study and control groups (p>0.05). No correlation was found between baseline plasma adiponectin levels, age, body mass index, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinising hormone, oestradiol, total testosterone, and blood lipid levels of the study and control groups (p>0.05). We found that adiponectin and interleukin-6 levels increased, tumour necrosis factor-α levels decreased, and interleukin-8 levels remained unchanged in acute rheumatic fever, which is an inflammatory disease. Moreover, adiponectin level was higher and tumour necrosis factor-α level was lower in the improvement period in comparison with the acute period, particularly in the carditis group. CONCLUSION It was considered that, increasing throughout the treatment period, adiponectin may have anti-inflammatory effects in acute rheumatic fever. In addition, adiponectin levels are associated with a decline in inflammatory mediators in rheumatic fever.

Circadian blood pressure rhythm in normotensive offspring of hypertensive parents.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to explore the circadian blood pressure (BP) rhythm using ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) in normotensive children with a family history of essential hypertension. METHODS Group 1 consisted of children with hypertensive mothers and/or fathers (n = 20), Group 2 consisted of children with hypertensive grandparents (n = 20), and Group 3 consisted of children with normotensive parents (n = 20). All participating children underwent a 24-h ABPM and echocardiography. RESULTS Significantly higher systolic burden was found in children with hypertensive parents (p < 0.05) and grandparents (p < 0.05) compared to controls. Ambulatory BP measurements had a higher daytime systolic BP in Group 1 compared to controls (p < 0.05). While left ventricular (LV) posterior wall thickness was similar in Group 1 and Group 2, it was significantly higher in both of these groups compared to the controls. The LV mass index (LVMI) was significantly higher in Group 1 than in controls (p < 0.05). However, diastolic BP was significantly higher in dippers compared to non-dippers (p < 0.05). LV posterior wall thickness, interventricular septum thickness and LVMI were significantly higher among non-dippers compared to dippers (p < 0.05). In children with a family history of hypertension, a positive correlation between nocturnal systolic BP and LVMI was found, and increasing nocturnal BP values were associated with increasing LVMI (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS In children with a family history of hypertension, target-organ damage may precede the clinical detection of hypertension, and in those with a nocturnal non-dipper status, a more marked effect on LVMI may occur.