Piccolo in transcatheter PDA closure multi-centre study from premature to adolescent children.

In this multi-centre study, the mid- to long-term efficacy and safety of the Amplatzer Piccolo Occluder in patent ductus arteriosus closure in premature and term infants as well as children were discussed. Methods. Between 2016 and 2021, 645 patients, 152 of whom were less than 1 month old, underwent ductus closure with the Piccolo device from five different centres in Turkey. The median age of the patients was 2.2 years, and the mean narrowest point of duct diameter was 1.8 mm. Sixty-two patients weighed ≤ 1.5 kg, 90 patients 1.5-3 kg, and the mean follow-up was 20.4 months. In 396, the duct was closed by the retrograde route. Ductal anatomy was Type A in 285, C in 72, E in 171, and F in 64 patients. Fluoroscopy duration was 6.2 min. The procedure success rate was 99.1%. Device embolisation occurred in 13 patients (2%), and 11 were retrieved with a snare. Cardiac perforation and death developed in one premature baby. The left pulmonary artery and the descending aorta stenosis were observed in 3 (0.4%) and in 5 patients (0.5%). Results. Piccolo device is safe and effective in closing ductus in all age groups. It has low profile for use in premature and newborn babies, a small embolisation risk, and a low residual shunt rate after closure. Conclusion. The Piccolo device can be considered as close an ideal occluder. The lower profile, smaller delivery catheter size, and symmetry of this device allow for a venous or arterial approach.

The immediate haemodynamic response and right and left cardiac remodelling after percutaneous transcatheter closure of secundum atrial septal defect in children: a longitudinal cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to assess the immediate haemodynamic response and the timing of cardiac remodelling in paediatric secundum atrial septal defect patients who underwent percutaneous transcatheter closure. METHODS: In this longitudinal cohort study with 41 paediatric secundum ASD patients who underwent PTC with Amplatzer Occluder device were assessed for immediate post-interventional haemodynamic response measured by catheterisation and was evaluated for right and left cardiac remodelling during a follow-up period of 12 months by transthoracic echocardiography. SPSS 20.0 was used for statistical analyses of pre- and post-interventional invasive haemodynamic parameters of the patients, and pre- and post-interventional TTE data compared with the values of the control group consisted of 39 healthy children. RESULTS: The mean diameter of ASD was 13.9 ± 4.7 mm. PTC intervention in all patients completed with 100% success and 0% complication rates. All invasive haemodynamic data, except the ratio of pulmonary resistance to systemic resistance, significantly reduced after PTC (p < 0.05). TTE and PW Doppler revealed that right and left cardiac remodelling started as soon as the post-interventional 24th hour and completed in the 12th month. CONCLUSIONS: This study with a very high interventional success rate can be counted as the first example of research on the haemodynamic response and timing of cardiac remodelling after PTC of secundum ASD in children. We suggest that future multicentric studies with larger cohorts and a comprehensive methodology like ours with longer follow-up periods would better serve to further assess the cardiac remodelling in children after PTC of secundum ASD.

Should we start a nationwide screening program for critical congenital heart disease in Turkey? A pilot study on four centres with different altitudes.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the feasibility of critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) screening test by pulse oximetry in four geographical regions of Turkey with different altitudes, before implementation of a nationwide screening program. METHODS: It was a prospective multi-centre study performed in four centres, between December, 2015 and May, 2017. Pre- and post-ductal oxygen saturations and perfusion indices (PI) were measured using Masimo Radical-7 at early postnatal days. The results were evaluated according to the algorithm recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Additionally, a PI value <0.7 was accepted to be significant. RESULTS: In 4888 newborns, the mean screening time was 31.5 ± 12.1 hours. At first attempt, the mean values of pre- and post-ductal measurements were: saturation 97.3 ± 1.8%, PI 2.8 ± 2.0, versus saturation 97.7 ± 1.8%, PI 2.3±1.3, respectively. Pre-ductal saturations and PI and post-ductal saturations were the lowest in Centre 4 with the highest altitude. Overall test positivity rate was 0.85% (n = 42). CCHD was detected in six babies (0.12%). Of them, right hand (91 ± 6.3) and foot saturations (92.1 ± 4.3%) were lower compared to ones with non-CCHD and normal variants (p <0.05, for all comparisons). Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and likelihood ratio of the test were: 83.3%, 99.9%, 11.9%, 99.9%, and 99.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study concluded that pulse oximetry screening is an effective screening tool for congenital heart disease in newborns at different altitudes. We support the implementation of a national screening program with consideration of altitude differences for our country.

Ivabradine is an effective antiarrhythmic therapy for congenital junctional ectopic tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy during infancy: Case studies.

Junctional ectopic tachycardia (JET) is a rare form of arrhythmia that is most commonly seen during infancy. JET is continuous and incessant, characterized by persistently high heart rates that may result in impaired cardiac function and tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy. Despite the availability of multiple antiarrhythmic treatments, including flecainide and amiodarone, management of JET is generally very difficult. Catheter ablation has a high risk of atrioventricular block and it may require the placement of a pacemaker. Ivabradine, also known as a cardiac pacemaker cell inhibitor, is a new-generation antiarrhythmic used to treat sinus tachycardia and angina pectoris in adult patients. In this article, we present three cases of subjects with infantile congenital JET who were admitted to our clinic with a tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy. The age of the subjects ranged from 52 days to 10 months. Although the cases of tachycardia could not be controlled by multiple antiarrhythmics, including a combination of amiodarone and flecainide combined with either propranolol or digoxin, they were rapidly converted into sinus rhythm with an ivabradine treatment of 0.1-0.2 mg/kg/day. No cardiac or other side effects were observed during ivabradine treatment, and left ventricular functions and rhythms improved within 24 hours. These three cases therefore provide hope that ivabradine may be a suitable standard initial treatment for congenital JET. However, additional research is needed to confirm the validity of these results in other circumstances.

Can whole-blood parameters be used in follow-up of children with rheumatic valvular heart disease?

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationships between red blood cell distribution width, platelet distribution width, and mean platelet volume and the presence and severity of valvular involvement in patients with rheumatic heart disease. METHODS: Between April, 2012 and December, 2015, 151 patients who were admitted to the Pediatric Cardiology Unit with diagnosis of rheumatic heart disease and 148 healthy children were included to our study. Transthoracic echocardiography for all children was performed, and the values of red blood cell distribution width, platelet distribution width, and mean platelet volume, besides other blood count parameters, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein levels were recorded. RESULTS: Red blood cell distribution width, platelet distribution width, mean platelet volume, and C-reactive protein levels were significantly higher in patients with rheumatic heart disease when compared with healthy controls (p0.05). CONCLUSION: This is the first study in children with rheumatic heart disease that demonstrated significantly increased red blood cell distribution width, platelet distribution width, and mean platelet volume levels, as well as evaluated all three parameters together. Furthermore, red blood cell distribution width values in the chronical period of acute rheumatic fever, due to the positive correlation with the other chronic inflammatory markers, may help make the diagnosis in children.

Anti-inflammatory role of obestatin in autoimmune myocarditis.

Obestatin is a popular endogeneous peptide, known to have an autoimmune regulatory effect on energy metabolism and the gastrointestinal system. Studies regarding the anti-inflammatory effects of obestatin are scarce. The aim of this study was to show the anti-inflammatory effect of obestatin in an experimental model of autoimmune myocarditis in rats. Experimental autoimmune myocarditis was induced in Lewis rats by immunization with subcutaneous administration of porcine cardiac myosin, twice at 7-day intervals. Intraperitoneal pretreatment with obestatin (50 µg/kg) was started before the induction of myocarditis and continued for 3 weeks. The severity of myocarditis was evidenced by clinical, echocardiographic and histological findings. In addition, by-products of neutrophil activation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines were measured in serum. Obestatin significantly ameliorated the clinical and histopathological severity of autoimmune myocarditis. Therapeutic effects of obestatin in myocarditis were associated with reduced lipid peroxidation, suppression of polymorphonuclear leukocyte infiltration and enhancement of glutathione synthesis, inhibition of serum inflammatory and activation of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Histopathologically, the left ventricle was significantly dilated, and its wall thickened, along with widespread lymphocytic and histocytic infiltration. The myocardium was severely infiltrated with relatively large mononuclear cells. These histopathological changes were observed in lesser degrees in obestatin-treated rats. This study demonstrated a novel anti-inflammatory effect of obestatin in an experimental model of autoimmune myocarditis. Consequently, obestatin administration may represent a promising therapeutic approach for myocarditis and dilated cardiomyopathy in the future.

Does N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide correlate with measured shunt fraction in children with septal defects?

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the potential role of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide in the assessment of shunt severity and invasive haemodynamic parameters in children with atrial septal defects and ventricular septal defects. METHODS: This is a prospective, controlled (n:62), observational study. Correlation analysis was performed between N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels and various invasive haemodynamic measurements in 127 children (ventricular septal defect: 64; atrial septal defect: 63). A ratio of pulmonary to systemic blood flow (Qp/Qs⩾1.5) was considered to indicate a significant shunt. RESULTS: Statistically significant relationship was found between the mean N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide values of the patients, with Qp/Qs⩾1.5 in both defect types and control group. For ventricular septal defect, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide level⩾113.5 pg/ml was associated with high specificity and sensitivity for determining the significant shunt. In addition, the cut-off point for determining the significant shunt for atrial septal defect was 57.9 pg/ml. Significant positive correlation was found between all invasive haemodynamic parameters and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels in patients with ventricular septal defects. Whereas significant positive correlation was found only between mean pulmonary artery pressure, right ventricular end-diastolic pressure, and systemic pressure to pulmonary pressure ratio and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels in patients with atrial septal defects. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that the N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide measurements could be used as a supporting parameter in determining significance of the shunt.

Is it safe to close ASD with the guidance of transthoraxic echocardiography in pediatric population "ten years' experience of a single center".

OBJECTIVE: Main purpose of this study is to emphasize the usage and safety of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in percutaneous atrial septal defect (ASD) closure in appropriate pediatric cases. BACKGROUND: Nowadays, percutaneous closure is preferred as treatment modality for ASD in pediatric age group. METHODS: Between the dates December 2003-August 2013; 340 patients whose ASD were closed included in this study. Physical examination, electrocardiogram, TTE were done before the procedure, at the 24th hour, 1st and 6th month after the procedure. After the 6th month, routine control was done annually. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was performed in 184 cases with large, multifenestrated ASD and when TTE views were poor in quality. We selected the 201 patients whose ASD diameter between 10-20 mm and formed 2 homogeneous groups according to the type of echocardiography used (TEE or TTE) in order to compare the role of echocardiography. RESULTS: The demographic features of patients of 2 groups were similar. There was not any statistically difference between ASD, balloon sizing diameters between the groups. No statistically significant difference in the success, complication, and residual shunt rates was found between the groups. Procedure, fluoroscopy time, and amount were significantly higher in TEE group. When hemodynamic variables except pulmonary blood flow to systemic blood flow (Qp/Qs; right-left atrium mean pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance, and peak-mean pulmonary arterial pressure) were compared, there was not statistically difference. CONCLUSION: TEE is an invasive procedure and requires general anesthesia, therefore, it should not be done routinely in ASD but only in selected cases. If the size and the anatomy of ASD is appropriate, TTE should be preferred primarily in percutaneous ASD closure.

ADO II in Percutaneous VSD Closure in Pediatric Patients.

OBJECTIVES: Main aim of our study to show that ADO II device can be used for the small ventricular septal defects successfully and safely with low complication rates in pediatric population. BACKGROUND: It is hard to find an ideal device to use for every VSD successfully. If inappropriate device was chosen; complication rate increases, procedure time gets longer that prolongs exposure to ionizing radiation. Therefore interventionalists are in the search for new ideal devices. MATERIAL: Between the dates April 2011-October 2014, 21 VSD closures with ADO-II device. were performed. Twenty patients were included, age ranged between 4 months 18 years. Weight of the patients was between 5-76 kg. RESULTS: VSD diameter ranges between 2-6 mm (3.75 ± 1.25). VSD types were muscular in 2 patients, rest of them were perimembranous type. Most of the perimembranous defects (19/21) were aneursymatic and tunnel shaped. All the cases were successfully closed, no major complications were reported. There was no incidence of left bundle branch block, P-R prolongation, or complete heart block. CONCLUSION: Considering perimembraneous ventricular septal defects as difficult and risky for percutaneous closure because of its proximity to aortic, atrioventricular valves and conduction tissue, we suggest that ADO II device can be safely and effectively used for such defects in particular if an aneurysm formation is present which is also compatible with the literature.

Plasma gelsolin as a biomarker of acute rheumatic carditis.

BACKGROUND: Acute rheumatic fever is an autoimmune, inflammatory, and multi-systemic disease secondary to pharyngitis and is caused by group A streptococcus. In developing countries, acute rheumatic fever is the most common cause of acquired heart disease. Gelsolin is a calcium-dependent, multi-functional actin-regulatory protein circulating in the plasma of healthy human beings. The correlation between blood gelsolin levels and inflammatory conditions suggests the potential benefit of gelsolin as a prognostic marker. The aim of the present study was to appraise the association of gelsolin and acute rheumatic carditis in childhood. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Plasma gelsolin levels were measured and echocardiographic examinations were performed in patients (n=37) with acute rheumatic carditis and compared with those of age- and gender-matched healthy controls (n=24). RESULTS: The plasma gelsolin levels in children with acute rheumatic carditis were significantly lower compared with controls (197±218 versus 322±255 mg/L, p=0.039). There was a significant correlation among gelsolin levels and the grade of mitral regurgitation (p=0.030), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (p=0.017), and left ventricular end-systolic diameter (p=0.028) at diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Levels of the gelsolin plasma isoform were decreased in patients with acute rheumatic carditis compared with healthy controls. Gelsolin may be used as a biochemical marker for acute rheumatic carditis.

Importance of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide in monitoring acute rheumatic carditis.

PURPOSE: To detect the relationship of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels with clinical and laboratory findings by measuring them at diagnosis, during, and after treatment in children with acute rheumatic carditis. METHOD: A total of 40 children including 20 acute rheumatic carditis patients aged between 5 and 16 years 20 healthy children as controls were included in the study. Blood was drawn from patients at diagnosis and in the first week, first month and third month after treatment in order to detect pro-brain natriuretic peptide, C-reactive protein levels and erythrocyte sedimentation rates. All patients underwent echocardiography. RESULTS: The N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels of children with acute rheumatic carditis were significantly higher than those of the control group at diagnosis and during treatment (p<0.05). Echocardiographic evaluation of acute rheumatic carditis patients revealed that the left atrium diameter continued to decrease during the study and that the mean left atrium diameters measured at diagnosis and in the first week were statistically higher than the mean left atrium diameters measured in the third month. There was significant correlation between left atrium diameters at diagnosis and in the first month and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels during the same periods in the patient group. CONCLUSION: Previous studies have used N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels as a marker of enlargement of the left atrium, whereas in this study we want to emphasise its role as a marker of inflammation. This increase was significantly correlated with enlargement in the left atrium. N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels were found to be a valuable determinant in indicating cardiac inflammation and haemodynamics.

Incidence and clinical features of acute rheumatic fever in Kayseri, Central Anatolia, 1998-2011.

BACKGROUND: In developing countries, acute rheumatic fever is the most common cause of acquired heart disease in the paediatric and adolescent population. It is believed that vulnerability to developing acute rheumatic fever is associated with several factors such as socio-economic and living conditions. Aim Determine the incidence and clinical characteristics of acute rheumatic fever in the Central Anatolia region of Kayseri within the last 14 years, and to make a comparison of two 7-year periods. Material and methods We performed a retrospective analysis of 624 patients who were diagnosed with acute rheumatic fever at the Department of Pediatric Cardiology in the Medical Faculty of Erciyes University between January, 1998 and December, 2011. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 10.9±2.7 years. The female/male ratio was 1.4. When patients were categorised according to age groups, the largest group represented 376 patients (60.3%) aged between 10 and 14 years. The estimated incidence rate of acute rheumatic fever was 7.4/100,000 in the Central Anatolia region of Kayseri. Among the major findings, the most common included carditis at 54%, arthritis at 35%, Sydenham's chorea at 25%, and subcutaneous nodules at 0.5%, respectively. No significant difference was found between the first 7-year period and second 7-year period in distributions of age, gender, and major findings. CONCLUSION: Although there has been socio-economic development in Turkey in the recent years, the incidence of acute rheumatic fever is still high in the Central Anatolia region of Kayseri.

Are endothelial microparticles early markers of pulmonary hypertension?

OBJECTIVE: To find out the relation between endothelial microparticles (EMPs), pulmonary arterial stiffness and thickness of pulmonary artery intima media to determine the prognosis of Eisenmenger syndrome and their correlation with echocardiographic and hemodynamic parameters. METHODS: Sixteen patients with Eisenmenger syndrome and 37 control patients were included. Electron microparticles levels, angiographic and echocardiographic findings were compared. RESULTS: Thickness of pulmonary arterial intima media and systolic and diastolic diameters of pulmonary artery were found significant in the patient group. CD144 and CD146 EMP values of patient group were statistically high. However, there was not any significant difference in pulmonary arterial strain, elasticity and stiffness. Positive significant relationship was found between pulmonary artery intima media thickness and CD144 in patient group. But there was not any significance between CD 146 and pulmonary artery intimamedia thickness. CONCLUSIONS: Invasive methods remain as the gold standard for pulmonary hypertension diagnosis, follow-up and treatment, but it is risky and can even be fatal. Our study showed that EMPs, thickness of pulmonary artery intima media and pulmonary stiffness could be novel noninvasive modalities for the follow-up pulmonary hypertensive patients.

Giant right atrial thrombus in premature newborn.

Pediatric guidelines for treatment options of right atrial thrombosis in newborn are quite limited. Herein we present a case with giant atrial thrombosis resulting from umbilical venous catheter and intend to discuss the therapy in the area of current literature on right atrial thrombus in newborn and children.

The role of N-terminal proBNP in the clinic scoring of heart failure due to dilated cardiomyopathy in children.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to show sensitivity and specificity of NT-ProBNP in demonstrating the degree of cardiac failure caused by dilated cardiomyopathy (DCMP). METHODS: From January 2006 to July 2012, thirty patients (2 - 168 months) who had DCMP with acute heart failure and 37 healthy children aged (1 - 168 months) were enrolled in this study. Clinical evaluation was done using a modified Ross scoring system. Ross scoring was done before and after treatment. Patients with a score of > 2 points were included in the study. Ross scoring, echocardiographic parameters, serum NT-ProBNP levels and cardiothoracic index (CTI) were measured before and on the 7th day of treatment. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to degree of heart failure. RESULTS: While the change in logNT-ProBNP in the patient group following one-week of treatment was significant (p < 0.05), there was no marked significance in the changes in EF, FS, LVEDD, LVMIz, and CTI. There was a statistically significant difference between logNT-ProBNP levels each Ross clinical group not only before treatment but also on assessment on the 7th day of treatment in the patient group (p < 0.001, Tukey's and Tamhane's T2 post-hoc tests). No significant difference was detected between EF, FS, LVEDDs, LVMIz, and CTI and the stages of acute cardiac failure. The NT-ProBNP levels of patients who became clinically asymptomatic after treatment but still had left ventricular systolic dysfunction were statistically significant when compared to the control group. The cut off value to distinguish healthy children from the patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction caused by cardiomyopathy was found as 174.3 pg/mL. CONCLUSIONS: NT-ProBNP levels are more effective than conventional echocardiographic parameters for clinical determination of the stage of cardiac failures in children with left ventricular systolic dysfunction due to DCMP. Therefore, it can be used for determining the treatment and management of such patients. Furthermore, the test is simple and beneficial, because of its availability in most clinical chemistry laboratories and its advantage of allowing frequent measurements and assessments.

Cheatham platinum stent implantation in children with coarctation of the aorta: single-centre short-term, intermediate-term, and long-term results from Turkey.

OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to evaluate patients who were treated by percutaneous stent implantation. METHODS: Patients with aortic coarctation (n = 35) who had been treated with 38 stents - 12 bare and 26 covered - were evaluated. The demographics and procedural and follow-up data were recorded from hospital registers and compared according to patient specifications, for example, weight and coarctation nature. RESULTS: The procedure was successful in all patients. There was a statistically significant difference between the patients with native coarctation (n = 17) and those with recurrent coarctation (n = 18) in terms of pre-procedural blood pressures, systolic gradients, coarctation diameters, and the ratio of the coarctation site diameter to the descending aorta diameter. Although all patients received antihypertensive drugs before the procedure, the drug was discontinued in 26 patients during follow-up (p < 0.001). Stent migration was observed in four patients with recurrent coarctation (11.4%), and peripheral arterial injury was seen in three patients (8.5%). The mean follow-up time was 34 ± 16 months. On average, 21 (6-42) months after the procedure, six patients underwent cardiac catheterisation. At least 2 years after the procedure, tomography was performed in 20 patients (57.2%). Patients who were evaluated by multi-slice computerised tomography revealed no pathologies. There was no statistically significant difference between the five patients weighing less than 20 kg and the other 30 patients in terms of demographic and procedural characteristics, procedure success and complication rates, and follow-up data. CONCLUSION: Stent implantation for aortic coarctation is a method yielding satisfactory results in reducing coarctation gradients, efficient enlargement of the lesion area, and resolution of hypertension for children, including those weighing less than 20 kg.

Pulmonary thromboembolism associated with pulmonary venous thrombus: a paediatric case report.

In this paper we present a young female patient who was admitted to the emergency unit with sudden chest pain, palpitations, and shortness of breath followed by syncope, and was diagnosed with pulmonary thromboemboli (PTE) by multislice spiral computed tomography. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first case in the literature of PTE accompanied by pulmonary thromboses with pulmonary venous thrombosis without surgery, trauma and malignancy.

Transcatheter closure of ruptured sinus Valsalva aneurysm with retrograde approach.

A three-year-old girl with multiple heart malformations admitted to the pediatric cardiology unit because of excessive sweating and fatigue. Abnormal color Doppler flow was detected into the right atrium from the dilated coronary sinus on the echocardiographic examination, and ruptured sinus Valsalva aneurysm (SVA) was diagnosed. Although in most such cases, an antegrade transcatheter approach has been used, a retrograde approach can be used as a cost-effective treatment modality in those cases with selective high-risk surgery. In this report, we present a patient with ruptured SVA, which was closed via Amplatzer vascular plug-4 by retrograde approach.

Aorta-right atrial tunnel closure using the transcatheter technique: a case of a 3-year-old child.

Aorta-right atrial tunnel is a rare congenital defect. If it is not treated, critical complications can occur. Surgical closure is the treatment of choice, but with increasing experience in transcatheter techniques and the introduction of new occluder devices the percutaneous technique is now a successful modality for closure. In this paper, we report the case of a 3-year-old child with aorta-right atrial tunnel whose defect was closed with the vascular plug 4 device.