Cardiac Troponin T in Children With Acute Rheumatic Carditis

WOS: 000286065400008PubMed: 20957477The existence of cardiac damage in active rheumatic carditis patients is unknown, especially in those without pericarditis. The aim of this study was to determine cardiac myocyte damage using cardiac troponin T (cTnT) measurements in active rheumatic carditis. The levels of creatine kinase MB isoenzyme (CK-MB), cTnT, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), cardiothoracic ratio (CTR), and fractional shortening (FS) were compared using Mann-Whitney U test between 28 patients with active rheumatic carditis and 32 controls (healthy children). Association of cTnT levels with ESR, CRP, and CTR was evaluated with Spearman correlation analysis. ESR, CRP, cTnT levels, and CTR were statistically higher in the patients than in the controls. There were no differences between the groups for CK-MB levels and FS. No relationships were found between cTnT levels and ESR, CRP, and CTR in the patient group. The results of the study suggest that when cTnT levels are within non-pathological range, there is no serious cardiac damage; however, statistically significant increases in cTnT levels may indicate minor damages in patients with active carditis due to acute rheumatic fever

Evaluation of pulmonary vascular resistance and vasoreactivity testing with oxygen in children with congenital heart disease and pulmonary arterial hypertension

cevik, berna saylan/0000-0002-5384-4982WOS: 000338107100021PubMed: 24566516

Persistent left superior vena cava: Experience of a tertiary health-care center

WOS: 000298589000046PubMed: 21810152Background: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) in patients with all types of congenital heart defects and to determine the congenital heart anomalies accompanying PLSVC. Methods: The present study is based on a retrospective review of 1205 children who consecutively underwent cardiac catheterization from 2000 to 2007. In order to determine the existence of PLSVC, all the subjects routinely underwent superior vena cava (SVC) injection during angiography at the catheter laboratory of the study center. Results: The prevalence of PLSVC was computed to be 6.1% for the present study population. Transthoracic echocardiography was able to detect PLSVC in 32 children (2.6%) whereas angiography diagnosed PLSVC in 74 children (6.1%). The mean age of the patients with PLSVC was 40.09 +/- 50.21 months. A communication between the right and left SVC was determined in 27% of the children who were diagnosed with PLSVC after angiography was performed (20 out of 74). A statistically significant association was present between PLSVC and other congenital cardiac anomalies, including ventricular septal defect (n = 42, 56.8%), atrial septal defect (n = 31, 41.9%), pulmonary stenosis (n = 19, 25.7%), atrioventricular septal defect (n = 10, 13.5%), patent ductus arteriosus (n = 6, 8.1%) and cor triatriatum (n = 3, 4.1%). Conclusion: Transthoracic echocardiography usually visualizes dilated coronary sinus in association with PLSVC. However, SVC injection should be performed in patients undergoing angiography so that morbidity and mortality related with persistent left superior vena cava can be avoided during cardiovascular surgery

Elevated Homocysteine and Asymmetric Dimethyl Arginine Levels in Pulmonary Hypertension Associated With Congenital Heart Disease

WOS: 000311792000013PubMed: 22526220Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). This study was designed to determine biomarker levels in patients with PAH associated with CHD (PAH-CHD) and CHD patients without PAH and to investigate the relationship of these potential biomarkers with hemodynamic findings. In this prospective single-center study, patients with CHD were analyzed according to the presence or absence of PAH and compared with healthy control subjects. Cardiac catheterization and echocardiographs were performed. Plasma homocysteine, asymmetric dimethyl arginine (ADMA), and nitric oxide (NO) levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Homocysteine and ADMA levels were higher in the PAH-CHD group (n = 30) than among CHD patients with left-to-right shunting but no PAH (n = 20; P < 0.001) and healthy control subjects (n = 20; P < 0.001). There was no difference in NO levels. Cyanotic PAH-CHD patients had significantly higher homocysteine than acyanotic patients in the same group. No correlation was shown between echocardiographic/hemodynamic parameters and homocysteine, ADMA, and NO levels. Homocysteine and ADMA levels are increased in patients with PAH-CHD. These parameters have the potential to be used as biomarkers in the diagnosis and follow-up evaluation of patients with PAH-CHD. However, large, multicentered prospective studies are required to facilitate routine use of these biologic markers in the clinical setting.Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd.The authors thank Elements Communications for medical writing assistance during the preparation of this manuscript, funded by Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd

Assessment of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension and Vascular Resistance by Measurements of the Pulmonary Arterial Flow Velocity Curve in the Absence of a Measurable Tricuspid Regurgitant Velocity in Childhood Congenital Heart Disease

cevik, berna saylan/0000-0002-5384-4982; Cilsal, Erman/0000-0001-8485-0376WOS: 000315567200024PubMed: 23052666This study aimed to determine mean pulmonary arterial pressure (PAPmean) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) using transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) measurements of the pulmonary artery flow velocity curve in children with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and congenital heart disease when the tricuspid regurgitant velocity (TRV) is not sufficient. This study enrolled 29 congenital heart disease cases with pulmonary arterial hypertension and 40 healthy subjects followed at our center. The mean age was 66.9 +/- A 77.9 months in the patient group and 76.3 +/- A 62.1 months in the control group. A positive correlation was found between TRV and systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (r = 0.394, p = 0.035, 95 % confidence interval [CI] = 0.032-0.665), whereas a negative correlation was found between corrected acceleration time (AcTc) and PAPmean (r = -0.559, p = 0.002, 95 % CI = -0.768 to -0.242). Furthermore, a negative correlation was found between parameters TRV and AcTc (r = -0.383, p = 0.001, 95 % CI = -0.657 to -0.019). Based on the cutoff criterion of 124 ms for AcTc, sensitivity was found to be 79.3 % and specificity to be 77.5 % in distinguishing between the PAH patients and the healthy control patients (receiver operating characteristic [ROC] area under the curve [AUC] = 0.804, 95 % CI = 0.691-0.890, p < 0.0001). The sensitivity and specificity of the concomitant use of AcTc and/or TRV were found to be 90 and 73 %, respectively, in distinguishing between the PAH patients and the the healthy control patients. The data obtained by TTE also can be appropriate for measuring PAPmean, PVR, and the vasoreactivity test and for determining the priority of implementing cardiac catheterization even if there is no measurable TRV value

Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Pediatric Pulmonary Hypertension

The present study aims to determine the efficacy and reliability of cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging in establishing the diagnosis and prognosis of pulmonary hypertension in children. This is a retrospective comparison of 25 children with pulmonary hypertension and a control group comprising 19 healthy children. The diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension was made when the mean pulmonary artery pressure was >= 25 mmHg by catheter angiography. The children with pulmonary hypertension had significantly lower body mass indices than did the healthy children (P=0.048). In addition, the children with pulmonary hypertension had significantly larger main pulmonary artery diameters and ascending aortic diameters (both P=0.001) but statistically similar ratios of main pulmonary artery diameter-to-ascending aortic diameter. If the main pulmonary artery diameter was >= 25 mm, pediatric pulmonary hypertension was diagnosed with 72\% sensitivity and 84\% specificity. In the event that the ratio of main pulmonary artery diameter-to-ascending aorta diameter was >= 1, pediatric pulmonary hypertension was diagnosed with 60\% sensitivity and 53\% specificity. When compared with children who had New York Heart Association functional class II pulmonary hypertension, the children with functional class III pulmonary hypertension had significantly larger main (P=0.046), right (P=0.036), and left (P=0.003) pulmonary arteries. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging is useful in the diagnosis of children with pulmonary hypertension. Pediatric pulmonary hypertension can be diagnosed with high sensitivity and specificity when the main pulmonary artery diameter measures >= 25 mm

Biomarker and shear stress in secondary pediatric pulmonary hypertension

Background/aim: Endothelial dysfunction, tissue damage, inflammation, and microthrombosis are involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension (PH), which may be present as a complication of congenital heart diseases. This study aims to identify how indicators of endothelial dysfunction (shear stress), tissue damage (brain natriuretic peptide and troponin T), inflammation (C-reactive protein (CRP)), and microthrombosis (D-dimer and von Willebrand factor) are altered in children with congenital left-to-right shunting. Materials and methods: This is a review of 25 children who developed PH due to congenital left-to-right shunting, 40 children who underwent corrective surgery for congenital left-to-right shunting, and 40 healthy children. Results: Serum brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), CRP, and CA-125 levels were significantly increased and shear stress was significantly decreased in children with PH (P = 0.001, P = 0.044, P = 0.012, and P = 0.011). A BNP level of >225 pg/mL had a sensitivity of 95.3\% and specificity of 92.4\%, whereas a CRP level of >2.2 IU/L had a sensitivity and specificity of 87.5\%, and a CA-125 level of >35 IU/mL had a sensitivity of 92.2\% and a specificity of 90.4\% for PH. Shear stress of <2.5 dyn/cm(2) had a sensitivity of 84.8\% and specificity of 92.9\%. Conclusions: A combination of BNP, CRP, CA-125, and shear stress might be used to predict the development of PH during follow-up of children with congenital left-to-right shunting