Ventricular non-compaction in children: clinical characteristics and course

Isolated left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) is a rare cardiomyopathy characterized by prominent trabeculations and deep intratrabecular recesses. In this study, we aimed to identify the clinical characteristics of children with ventricular non-compaction and determine the factors affecting prognosis. We retrospectively evaluated 29 children with LVNC followed at Dr. Sami Ulus Children Hospital Pediatric Cardiology Department from December 2004 to November 2009. There were 13 females (45%) and 16 males (55%) and the mean age at presentation was 4.8+/-4.6 years (one month-15 years). Although there was no statistical significance; early presentation age and high left ventricular end-diastolic diameter at the diagnosis were associated with poorer prognosis. (C) 2011 Published by European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved

Evaluation of cardiac functions by tissue Doppler echocardiography in the long term follow-up of patients with childhood Hodgkin Lymphoma

WOS: 000294753600009Aim: Treatment-associated cardiomyopathy which is one of the side effects of treatment, can be asymptomatic in Hodgkin lymphoma patients. The aim of this study was to find out whether tissue Doppler echocardiography was superior to conventional echocardiography in determining potential cardiac problems in the patients diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. Material and Method: A total of 17 Hodgkin lymphoma patients (12 males, 5 females), and whose treatment had been stopped for at least 4 years were being followed-up with disease-free status and without cardiac symptoms and a control group of 14 healthy persons (8 males, 6 females) were included in the study. The cardiac functions of the patients were evaluated by M-mode, 2 dimentional, colour Doppler, CW Doppler and pulse Doppler techniques. Data analyzes were evaluated by program of Statistical Package for Social Science for Windows 11.5, and Shapiro Wilk, Student's t testi, Mann Whitney U, Fisher's exact chi square tests, respectively. Hospital ethic committee consent was received for the study (07.05.2007/no:5639). Results: There were no statistical differences between the two groups (p=0.302 and p=0.860 respectively) when both groups were evaluated in terms of ejection fraction and fraction shortening by conventional echocardiography technique. Evaluation of both groups for the left ventricle isovolumic contraction time revealed a statistically significant longer time in the patient group compared with the control group (p: 0.038). The results were found longer in the patient group compared with the control group when both groups were evaluated in terms of myocardial performance index parameters and the left ventricle isovolumic contraction time parameters (p=0.029 and p=0.049, respectively). Conclusions: We concluded that the left ventricle isovolumic contraction time, the left ventricle isovolumic acceleration time and myocardial performance index tests are important parameters for the early detection of cardiac pathologies that may develop in relation to chemotherapy. (Turk Arch Ped 2011; 46:228-33