The impact of fragmented QRS on clinical findings and outcomes in children with dilated cardiomyopathy with or without left ventricular non-compaction.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to investigate the frequency of fragmented QRS and its associations with clinical findings and prognosis in children diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy with or without left ventricular non-compaction. METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted between 2010 and 2020. Patients with dilated cardiomyopathy were classified into two groups according to the presence of left ventricular non-compaction: Dilated cardiomyopathy with left ventricular non-compaction and dilated cardiomyopathy without left ventricular non-compaction. Patients were also divided into two groups according to the presence of fragmented QRS (fragmented QRS group and non-fragmented QRS group). RESULTS: Twenty-three of 44 patients (52.3%) were male. Among left ventricular non-compaction patients, the fragmented QRS group had more complex ventricular arrhythmias (p = 0.003). Patients with fragmented QRS had a significantly higher rate of major adverse cardiac events and/or cardiac death in both cardiomyopathy groups (p = 0.003 and p = 0.005). However, the rate of major adverse cardiac events and/or cardiac death was similar between dilated cardiomyopathy patients with and without left ventricular non-compaction. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the presence of fragmented QRS strongly predicts major adverse cardiac events and/or cardiac death (odds ratio, 31.186; 95% confidence interval, 2.347-414.307). Although the survival rates between cardiomyopathy groups were similar, patients with fragmented QRS had a markedly lower survival rate during the follow-up period, as mean of 15 months (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our study showed that the presence of fragmented QRS may be an important ECG sign predicting an major adverse cardiac event and/or cardiac death in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. We believe that recognising fragmented QRS could be valuable in forecasting patient prognosis and identifying high-risk patients who require additional support.

Cardiovascular manifestations and cardiac magnetic resonance follow-up of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the cardiovascular manifestations and surveillance of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and to determine the correlation of echocardiographic findings with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging findings. METHODS: Forty-four children diagnosed as MIS-C with cardiac involvement were enrolled in this observational descriptive study. The diagnosis of MIS-C was made according to the criteria of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Clinical findings, laboratory parameters, and electrocardiographic and echocardiographic findings at the time of diagnosis and during follow-up were evaluated. Cardiac magnetic resonance was performed on 28 (64%) cases. The 1-year follow-up imaging was performed in all cases with abnormal initial cardiac magnetic resonance findings. RESULTS: Forty-four patients (56.8% male) with a mean age of 8.5 ± 4.8 years were enrolled in this study. There was a significant positive correlation between high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (mean: 162 ± 444.4 pg/ml) and N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide (mean: 10,054 ± 11,604 pg/ml) (p < 0.01). Number of cases with an electrocardiographic and echocardiographic abnormality was 34 (77%) and 31 (70%), respectively. Twelve cases (45%) had left ventricular systolic dysfunction and 14 (32%) cases had pericardial effusion on admission. Three cases (11%) had cardiac magnetic resonance findings that may be attributed to the presence of myocardial inflammation, and pericardial effusion was present in seven (25%) cases. Follow-up cardiac magnetic resonances of all cases were normal. Cardiac abnormalities were completely resolved in all except two cases. CONCLUSIONS: Myocardial involvement can be seen during acute disease, but MIS-C generally does not lead to prominent damage during a year of surveillance. Cardiac magnetic resonance is a valuable tool to evaluate the degree of myocardial involvement in cases with MIS-C.

The role and efficacy of routine high-sensitivity troponin T screening in paediatric COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and role of high-sensitivity troponin T in children with a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and also the correlation of troponin T levels with symptoms, and echocardiographic findings were analysed. METHODS: Two hundred and fourteen patients with a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection between the dates of 28 March and 15 August 12020 were enrolled in this retrospective single-centre study. Patients with comorbidities and diagnosed as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children were excluded. Demographic data, clinical and laboratory parameters were evaluated. The patients were classified and compared according to the troponin positivity. The correlation of troponin T with symptoms and echocardiographic findings was analysed. RESULTS: The most common symptoms in the whole study group were fever (53.3%) and cough (24.8%). Troponin T levels were elevated in 15 (7%) patients. The most common symptom in patients with troponin positivity was also fever (73.3%). Troponin T positivity was significantly higher in patients under the age of 12 months and troponin T levels were negatively correlated with age. C-reactive protein levels were elevated in 77 (36%) of the patients in the whole group and 7 (46.7%) of 15 patients with troponin positivity. C-reactive protein levels were similar between groups. CONCLUSION: Routine troponin screening does not yield much information in previously healthy paediatric COVID-19 patients without any sign of myocardial dysfunction. Elevated troponin levels may be observed but it is mostly a sign of myocardial injury without detectable myocardial dysfunction in this group of patients.

Headache in children and dynamic thiol/disulfide balance evaluation with a new method.

Headache is one of the most common causes of presentation to the physician in children. We aimed to evaluate the dynamic thiol/disulfide homeostasis with a new method in children with headache and also to investigate the relationship between the headache type, pain severity and duration in our study. We included 40 patients diagnosed with migraine, 40 patients diagnosed with tension-type headache (TTH) and 40 healthy children in the study. No significant difference was found between the total thiol, native thiol, and disulfide levels of the patient and control groups. However, the disulfide/native thiol and disulfide/total thiol ratios were higher in the migraine group than in the TTH and control groups. No correlation was found between the Pediatric Migraine Disability Assessment (PedMIDAS) score and the headache duration and any of the thiol/disulfide parameters. A negative correlation was found between the total thiol and native thiol levels and the PedMIDAS score in the TTH group. Migraine and TTH patients have different effect to thiol/disulfide homeostasis.

Acute rheumatic fever: a single center experience with 193 clinical cases.

BACKGROUND: Acute rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease that develops via an auto-immune mechanism following group A beta hemolytic streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical presentation of and cardiac involvement in acute rheumatic fever. METHODS: The medical records of acute rheumatic fever patients admitted to the Pediatric Cardiology Unit between January 2001 and January 2013 were reviewed. The patients were divided into two groups: 53 patients admitted during January 2001-January 2007 were designated as group 1, and 140 patients admitted during January 2007-January 2013 were designated as group 2. RESULTS: A total of 193 patients were evaluated, including 53 in group 1 and 140 in group 2. There was no statistically significant difference in age, gender and latent period between the two groups. There was, however, a statistically significant difference between the annual number of cases (P=0.001). Moreover, 35 (66%) patients in group 1 and 89 (64%) patients in group 2 were admitted during the spring or winter. The most common finding, as the major criteria in the current study, was concurrent carditis and arthritis. The most common minor finding was the presence of increased acute-phase reactants. We noted a statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of valvular involvement. Group 2 had significantly higher frequencies of isolated aortic and mitral regurgitation than group 1, but the composite frequency of these was lower. CONCLUSIONS: Acute rheumatic fever continues to be prevalent in Turkey despite the country's socioeconomic improvements. We conclude that echocardiography should be performed on all of the patients with suspected acute rheumatic fever because it markedly increases the detection of carditis.

Echocardiographic Follow-Up of Patent Foramen Ovale and the Factors Affecting Spontaneous Closure.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the echocardiographic follow-up of patent foramen ovale, which is considered a potential etiological factor in various diseases, and to determine the factors affecting spontaneous closure. METHODS: Between January 2000 and June 2012, records of 918 patients with patent foramen ovale were retrospectively reviewed. Patency of less than 3 mm around the fossa ovalis is called patent foramen ovale. Patients with cyanotic congenital heart diseases, severe heart valve disorders and severe hemodynamic left to right shunts were excluded from the study. The patients were divided into three groups based on age; 1 day-1 month in group 1, 1 month-12 months in group 2, and more than 12 months in group 3. RESULTS: Of the 918 patients, 564 (61.4%) had spontaneous closure, 328 (35.8%) had patent foramen ovale continued, 15 (1.6%) patients had patent foramen ovale enlarged to 3-5 mm, 6 patients were enlarged to 5-8 mm, and in one patient patent foramen ovale reached to more than 8 mm size. Defect was spontaneously closed in 65.9% of the patients in group 1, 66.7% of the patients in group 2, and 52.3% of the patients in group 3. There was a negative correlation between the age of diagnosis and spontaneous closure (p < 0.05). Gender, prematurity and coexisting malformations such as patent ductus arteriosus and atrial septal aneurysm did not have any effect on spontaneous closure of patent foramen ovale (p > 0.05). However, ventricular septal defect and spontaneous closure of patent foramen ovale had a positive correlation (p < 0.01). No correlation was noted between the existence of atrial septal aneurysm, prematurity, and maturity of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrated that spontaneous closure rate of patent foramen ovale is high. Furthermore, a positive correlation was found between spontaneous closure of patent foramen ovale with early diagnosis and small defect size.

Complications of epicutaneo-caval catheters: Pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade in three preterm infants.

In the neonatal intensive care units (NICU), epicutaneo-caval catheters (ECCs) are common alternative vascular routes. Pericardial effusion (PCE) and cardiac tamponade (CT) are rare but serious complications in infants with ECCs. It may be asymptomatic or present with a variety of significant clinical signs, including dyspnea, bradycardia, sudden asystole, and hypotension. If untreated, PCE can be fatal. This report presents, three cases of ECC-associated PCE/CT during NICU stay. All three patients were born before 30 weeks of gestation and weighed less than 1500 g. Echocardiography was used for diagnosis all patients. PCE/CT was detected incidentally in one patient and after hemodynamic deterioration in the other two. In one patient, CT was developed due to catheter malposition, and the other two patient, the catheter tip was found in the right atrium. PCE did not recur in any of the patients after pericardial fluid was drained and the catheters were removed. No PCE/CT-related deaths were observed. In all three patients, X-ray was used to evaluate the location of the catheter tips. However, after clinical deterioration, echocardiography showed that in the first two cases the tips were actually in the right atrium. Real-time ultrasound was suggested with strong evidence to evaluate the location of the catheter tip and to detect secondary malapposition. PCE/CT should be considered in the presence of unexplained and refractory respiratory distress, abnormal heart rate and blood pressure, and metabolic acidosis in a neonate with ECC. Early diagnosis and prompt pericardiocentesis are essential to reduce mortality and improve prognosis. Prospective studies with educational interventions should be designed to demonstrate that the use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) can be easily acquired and may reduce complications.

An infant who suffered seizures many times after pentavalent vaccination: A case report.

Although rare, serious adverse effects may be seen after vaccination. Especially, the whole-cell pertussis vaccine has been held responsible for neurological side effects, as the most important problem in vaccination. With the advancement in vaccination technologies, whole-cell pertussis vaccine has been replaced by acellular pertussis vaccine, and neurological side effects have been significantly reduced. Herein, we present a 2-month-old male infant who suffered from generalized tonic-clonic seizures many times, possibly due to acellular pertussis after pentavalent vaccination, including diphtheria, acellular pertussis, tetanus, inactive polio, Haemophilus influenzae type B, and conjugate pneumococcal vaccine (BCG, DaBT-IPA-Hib, CPV).

Dynamic thiol/disulphide homeostasis in children with febrile seizure.

PURPOSE: Febrile seizure (FS) is the most common type of seizure in children and its etiopathogenesis is still not fully understood. We aimed to investigate the thiol/disulphide balance in children who had experienced FS in our study. METHODS: We included 40 FS and 40 control group subjects in the study. The total thiol, native thiol, and disulphide levels were measured and the disulphide/native thiol, disulphide/total thiol and native thiol/total thiol ratios were calculated in both groups. RESULTS: The mean age and gender distribution of the patients and control group subjects were similar. The total thiol level was lower in the FS group than the control group with no statistical significance (p = 0.123). Native thiol was significantly lower in the FS group than the control group (p = 0.031). The disulphide level and the disulphide/native thiol and disulphide/total thiol ratios were statistically significantly higher in the FS group than the control group while the native thiol/total thiol ratio was lower. CONCLUSION: The fact that the disulphide level was higher and the native thiol level lower in the FS group than the control group suggests that the thiol/disulphide balance may have shifted in favor of oxidants and that oxidants may have a role in FS pathogenesis.