Search

OBJECTIVE: Although the initial reports of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in children described that children were largely protected from severe manifestations, clusters of pediatric cases of severe systemic hyperinflammation and shock related to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection began to be reported in the latter half of April 2020. A novel syndrome called "multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children" (MIS-C) shares common clinical features with other well-defined syndromes, including Kawasaki disease (KD), toxic shock syndrome (TSS), and secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis/macrophage activation syndrome (MAS). Our objective was to develop a protocol for the evaluation, treatment, and follow-up of patients with MIS-C. METHODS: The protocol was developed by a multidisciplinary team. We convened a multidisciplinary working group with representation from the departments of pediatric critical care, cardiology, rheumatology, surgery, gastroenterology, hematology, immunology, infectious disease, and neurology. Our protocol and recommendations were based on the literature and our experiences with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. After an agreement was reached and the protocol was implemented, revisions were made on the basis of expert feedback. CONCLUSION: Children may experience acute cardiac decompensation or other organ system failure due to this severe inflammatory condition. Therefore, patients with severe symptoms of MIS-C should be managed in a pediatric intensive care setting, as rapid clinical deterioration may occur. Therapeutic approaches for MIS-C should be tailored depending on the patients' phenotypes. Plasmapheresis may be useful as a standard treatment to control hypercytokinemia in cases of MIS-C with severe symptoms. Long-term follow-up of patients with cardiac involvement is required to identify any sequelae of MIS-C.

WOS: 000376563400028 Aim: Febrile seizures are the most common seizure type in childhood. In recent years febrile seizures are linked with iron deficiency anemia. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between febrile seizures and iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia. Material and Method: 139 children, aged 6 months to 5 years, admitted to our pediatric outpatient and emergency clinic between November 2003 and August 2004 were enrolled in the study. The diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia and febrile seizures were made according to the criteria of American Academy of Pediatrics. The study group consisted of 93 children with one or more febrile convulsions. None of them was on antiepileptic therapy. The control groups consisted of children with a febrile illness in the absence of convulsions (n=21) and healthy children (n=25). Results: There was no statistically significant difference in Hb, MCV and ferritin levels between the study and control groups (p>0,05). The serum iron levels were lower in the children with febrile seizures compared to the children with a febrile illness in the absence of febrile seizures and healthy children. The result is statistically significant (p

WOS: 000324967000002, PubMed ID: 24570720, Introduction: Determining other echocardiographic predictors along with the measured atrial septal defect (ASD) size and evaluating the closure together with these predictors would increase the chance of success for transcatheter closure of ASD. Aim: To evaluate echocardiographic parameters affecting defect closure in children and adult patients with secundum ASD. Material and methods: In all patients, size of ASD, total length of atrial septum (TS), superior-posterior, inferior-posterior, superior-anterior and inferior-anterior rims surrounding the defect were measured by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), and several measurement ratios were derived on the basis of TEE parameters. Results: A total 216 patients with secundum ASD were included in this study. The device was successfully implanted in 65 children and 65 adults. Both in pediatric and adult cases, the ratio of successful closure was found to be significantly higher when the ratio of defect size to TS was 0.75 and the ratio of inferior-posterior (IP) rim to the defect size was > 1.0. It was found that having more than one of these predictors in a single case increased the chance of closure success significantly (p < 0.001). Conclusions: We concluded that a ratio of the defect size to TS 0.75 and a ratio of IP rim to defect size > 1.0 were found to be echocardiographic predictors that could be used in successful transcatheter ASD closure both in children and adults.

WOS: 000329941600010, PubMed ID: 24077899, This study aimed to objectively evaluate autonomic nervous function in children with primary Raynaud's phenomenon (PRP). Thirty-two children with PRP and 30 healthy subjects were included in the study. We analyzed heart rate variability (HRV) in the time domain by the following six standard time-domain measures: standard deviation of all normal R-R intervals during 24 h (SDNN), standard deviation of all normal R-R intervals for all 5-min segments (SDNNi), standard deviation of the average normal R-R intervals for all 5-min segments (SDANN), root mean square of the successive normal R-R interval difference, percentage of successive normal R-R intervals longer than 50 ms, and triangular index (integral of the density distribution of NN intervals divided by the maximum of the density distribution). The mean heart rate throughout 24 h was significantly higher in the PRP group than in the control group (p = 0.001). Although heart rate during the activity period was not significantly different from that during the night period, it was higher in the PRP group than in the control group (p = 0.002). In children with PRP, HRV analysis showed significantly lower values of SDNN (p = 0.01), SDNNi (p = 0.005), SDANN (p = 0.02), and HRV triangular index (p = 0.02) compared with the control group. HRV analysis for sympathovagal balance demonstrated a preponderance for the sympathetic component in patients with PRP. We conclude that all time-domain parameters evaluated in HRV analysis are significantly lower in children with PRP than in healthy subjects.

Turkish Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Society, Objectives: P-wave and QT dispersion are increased and associated with atrial and ventricular arrhythmia and an increase in sudden death in a variety of diseases. This study aimed to investigate P-wave and QT dispersion in children with Eisenmenger syndrome (ES). Study design: The study group included 27 children (15 females, 12 males) with both congenital heart disease (CHD) and ES. The control group consisted of 30 children with CHD without pulmonary arterial hypertension. Electrocardiographic records were used to determine P-wave, QT, and corrected QT (QTc) dispersions. 24-hour (h) rhythm Holter was fitted in all patients. Atrial volumes, ventricular dimensions and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) were measured by echocardiography. Results: There was no difference between groups with regard to age, sex, weight, and body surface area (p>0.05). Right atrial volume was significantly larger in the ES group than in the control group. P-wave, QT and QTc dispersions were higher in the patients with ES (50.10±11.12 vs. 26.32±8.90, p, Ece, I.; Yüzüncü Yil Üniversitesi Tip Fakültesi, Çocuk Kardiyolojisi Bilim Dali, 65080 Van, Turkey; email: dribrahimece@gmail.com

WOS: 000330621300024, PubMed ID: 24013175, We sought to investigate whether echocardiography with tissue Doppler imaging identifies myocardial dysfunction in children with benign joint hypermobility syndrome (BJHS). This cross-sectional study enrolled 75 children with BJHS and 70 healthy children. We performed detailed echocardiography in individuals with BJHS without inherited connective tissue disorders. Any congenital or acquired cardiac disease was excluded by clinical and echocardiographic examination. Both groups were similar in terms of age, sex, and body mass index. The diameter of the aortic annulus and sinus valsalva were wider in patients with BJHS. There was no significant differences in ejection fraction or mitral and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion between the two groups. Pulsed-wave Doppler-derived E/A ratios in mitral and tricuspid valves were similar in both groups. Deceleration time of early mitral inflow was prolonged in patients with BJHS. Mitral and tricuspid annulus Ea velocity were significantly lower in children with BJHS. Ea, Aa, and Ea/Aa ratios in the interventricular septum, left ventricle posterior wall, and right ventricle free wall were lower in patients with BJHS than in the control group. The E/Ea ratio was greater in patients with BJHS than in the control group. Isovolumic relaxation time and right-ventricular (RV) and left-ventricular (LV) myocardial performance indices (MPIs) were greater in patients with BJHS. This study showed the diastolic dysfunction in patients with BJHS. In addition, we detected increased LV and RV MPI. We believe that BJHS may affect proteins of the myocardial cytoskeleton and extracellular matrix.

WOS: 000315036500028, PubMed ID: 22868672, Various rhythm and conduction abnormalities can develop in acute rheumatic fever. This study investigated rhythm and conduction abnormalities in children with acute rheumatic fever using a standard 12-lead electrocardiogram and 24-h rhythm Holter recordings. This multicenter retrospective study, performed between August 2011 and March 2012, enrolled 73 consecutive children with acute rheumatic fever. Standard electrocardiography was used to measure PR and corrected QT intervals. Holter recordings were evaluated for all the patients, and 52 of the patients (71.2 %) had carditis that was either isolated or together with other major criteria. A positive correlation was detected between carditis and the mean PR interval on standard electrocardiography, but this was not significant (p > 0.05). Standard electrocardiography showed a significant positive correlation between PR and corrected QT intervals (p = 0.03; r = 0.55). Standard electrocardiography showed only three patients (4.2 %) with premature contractions, whereas 24-h electrocardiography showed 26 patients (35.6 %) with premature contractions. Carditis was positively correlated with premature contractions (p < 0.01; r = 0.57). One patient with junctional rhythm and one patient with left bundle block were detected by standard electrocardiography. Whereas some patients with carditis exhibited no arrhythmic evidence on standard electrocardiograms, complete atrioventricular block, supraventricular tachycardia, and Mobitz type 1 block were observed on 24-h Holter recordings. A positive correlation also was observed between the presence of premature contractions and serum levels of acute-phase reactants (p = 0.03; r = 0.62). These findings led to the conclusion that rhythm and conduction disorders in acute rheumatic fever are more common than previously thought.