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Objectives: The functional roles of ventricular dominance and additional ventricular chamber after Fontan operation are still uncertain. We aim to assess and correlate such anatomical features to late clinical outcomes., Methods: Fontan patients undergoing cardiac MRI and cardiopulmonary exercise test between January 2020 and December 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical, cardiac MRI, and cardiopulmonary exercise test data from the last follow-up were analysed., Results: Fifty patients were analysed: left dominance was present in 29 patients (58%, median age 20 years, interquartile range:16-26). At a median follow-up after the Fontan operation was 16 years (interquartile range: 4-42), NYHA classes III and IV was present in 3 patients (6%), 4 (8%) underwent Fontan conversion, 2 (4%) were listed for heart transplantation, and 2 (4%) died. Statistical analysis showed that the additional ventricular chamber was larger (>20 mL/m 2 ) in patients with a right dominant ventricle ( p = 0.01), and right dominance was associated with a higher incidence of post-operative low-cardiac output syndrome ( p = 0.043). Left ventricular dominance was associated with a better ejection fraction ( p = 0.04), less extent of late gadolinium enhancement ( p = 0.022), higher metabolic equivalents ( p = 0.01), and higher peak oxygen consumption ( p = 0.033). A larger additional ventricular chamber was associated with a higher need for post-operative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support ( p = 0.007), but it did not influence functional parameters on cardiac MRI or cardiopulmonary exercise test., Conclusions: In Fontan patients, left ventricular dominance correlated to better functional outcomes. Conversely, a larger additional ventricular chamber is more frequent in right ventricular dominance and can negatively affect the early post-Fontan course.

Cardiac MRI has become a widely accepted standard for anatomic and functional assessment of complex Fontan physiology, because it is noninvasive and suitable for comprehensive follow-up evaluation after Fontan completion. The use of cardiac MRI in pediatric and adult patients after completion of the Fontan procedure are described, and a practical and experience-based cardiac MRI protocol for evaluating these patients is provided. The current approach and study protocol in use at the authors' institution are presented, which address technical considerations concerning sequences, planning, and optimal image acquisition in patients with Fontan circulation. Additionally, for each sequence, the information that can be obtained and guidance on how to integrate it into clinical decision-making is discussed. Keywords: Pediatrics, MRI, MRI Functional Imaging, Heart, Congenital © RSNA, 2022., Competing Interests: Disclosures of conflicts of interest: F.P. No relevant relationships. I.V. No relevant relationships. P.G. No relevant relationships. M.R. No relevant relationships. C.I. No relevant relationships. D.J.P. Siemens research grant. S.K. No relevant relationships., (© 2022 by the Radiological Society of North America, Inc.)

Aim: The aim of this study was to capture and measure the impact of caregiving for an adult with uncontrolled drug-resistant focal-onset seizures (FOS) on the caregivers' quality of life (QoL), and to quantify the costs of productivity losses associated with providing informal care in this patient population., Methods: An online survey, which included the EQ-5D-5L, CarerQol-7D and the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment: Specific-Health Problem (WPAI:SHP) questionnaires, was administered to caregivers of individuals with uncontrolled drug-resistant FOS in the United Kingdom (UK), France, Spain, Germany, Italy, and Sweden., Results: The study included 345 caregivers. Most were males, aged between 25 and 34 years old whose caring responsibilities took between 15 and 24 h per week. The caregivers' mean EQ-5D-5L score was 0.6, with 95% confidence intervals (CI) of [0.58, 0.63], whilst the mean CarerQol-7D score was 72.61 [70.46, 74.76]. Caregivers' mental health was the most substantially affected aspect of their QoL. In addition, most caregivers reported deriving some or a lot of fulfilment out of their caregiving tasks. The WPAI:SHP showed that the mean percentage of work impairment due to caregiving responsibilities was 63%, [59.75, 66.26]. The mean annualised costs of productivity losses per caregiver were estimated at €14,872 [€11,908; €17,888]., Limitations: One limitation consisted in the use of an online survey instead of a face-to-face interview. However, the medical terms were clearly explained, and examples were provided to help participants to give accurate responses. Another limitation was that the respondents self-reported as caregivers. Efforts were made to mitigate this weakness by using screener questions., Conclusion: This study found that providing informal care for people with uncontrolled drug-resistant FOS had a negative impact on caregivers' QoL, with mental health being affected the most. However, caregivers found their role fulfilling and had support with their caring tasks.

Background: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) derived fractal analysis of the left ventricle (LV) has been shown in adults to be a useful quantitative measure of trabeculation with high reproducibility and accuracy for the diagnosis of LV non-compaction (LVNC). The aim of this study was to investigate the utility and feasibility of fractal analysis in children., Methods: Eighty-four subjects underwent CMR: (1) 28 patients with LVNC (as defined by the Petersen criteria with NC/C ratio [Formula: see text] 2.3); (2) 28 patients referred by clinicians for assessment of hyper-trabeculation and found not to qualify as LVNC (NC/C [Formula: see text] 1.8 and < 2.3); (3) 28 controls. The fractal scores for each group were presented as global and maximal fractal dimension as well as for 3 segments of the LV: basal, mid, and apical. Statistical comparison of the fractal scores between the 3 groups was performed., Results: Global fractal dimension (FD) was higher in the LVNC group than in the hyper-trabeculated group: 1.345 (SEM 0.053) vs 1.252 (SEM 0.034), p < 0.001 and higher in hyper-trabeculated group than in controls: 1.252 (SEM 0.034) vs 1.158 (SEM 0.038), p < 0.001. The highest maximum FD was in the apical portion of the LV in the LVNC group, (1.467; SEM 0.035) whereas it was in the mid ventricle in the hyper-trabeculated (1.327; SEM 0.025) and healthy groups (1.251; SEM 0.042). Fractal analysis showed lower intra- and interobserver variability than the Petersen and Jacquier methods., Conclusions: It is technically feasible to perform fractal analysis in children using CMR and that it is quick, accurate and reproducible. Fractal scoring accurately distinguishes between LVNC, hyper-trabeculation and healthy controls as defined by the Petersen criteria.

Background: Pediatric patients are becoming increasingly referred for cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR). Measurement of ventricular wall thickness is typically part of the assessment and can be of diagnostic importance, e.g. in arterial hypertension. However, normal values for left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) wall thickness in pediatric patients are lacking. The aim of this study was to establish pediatric centile charts for segmental LV and RV myocardial thickness in a retrospective multicenter CMR study., Methods: CMR was performed in 161 healthy children and adolescents with an age range between 6 and 18 years from two centers in the UK and Germany as well as from a previously published CMR project of the German Competence Network for Congenital Heart Defects. LV myocardial thickness of 16 segments was measured on the short axis stack using the American Heart Association segmentation model. In addition, the thickness of the RV inferior and anterior free wall as well as biventricular mass was measured., Results: The mean age (standard deviation) of the subjects was 13.6 (2.9) years, 64 (39.7%) were female. Myocardial thickness of the basal septum (basal antero- and inferoseptal wall) was 5.2 (1.1) mm, and the basal lateral wall (basal antero- and inferolateral) measured 5.1 (1.2) mm. Mid-ventricular septum (antero- and inferoseptal wall) measured 5.5 (1.2) mm, and mid-ventricular lateral wall (antero- and inferolateral wall) was 4.7 (1.2) mm. Separate centile charts for boys and girls for all myocardial segments and myocardial mass were created because gender was significantly correlated with LV myocardial thickness (p < 0.001 at basal level, p = 0.001 at midventricular level and p = 0.005 at the apex) and biventricular mass (LV, p < 0.001; RV, p < 0.001)., Conclusion: We established CMR normal values of segmental myocardial thickness and biventricular mass in children and adolescents. Our data are of use for the detection of abnormal myocardial properties and can serve as a reference in future studies and clinical practice.

Lombardy was violently hit by Covid-19 between the end of February and the beginning of March 2020. On 09.05.2020 there were 81225 total registered Covid-19+ cases (8051 / million inhabitants) with 14924 deaths (1479 deaths / million inhabitants). The province of Cremona presented a higher number of Covid-19+ cases and a worse relative mortality than the already high regional average. Patients on regular hemodialysis treatment present a high risk of infection due to the co-pathologies present, while healthcare workers may represent a risk for themselves and for the patients, due to the treatment environment and the close contact with them. All patients and healthcare workers of the Dialysis Center in Crema were evaluated (oro-pharyngeal swab for viral RNA research, qualitative anti-Covid-19 antibodies, quantitative IgG antibodies, co-pathologies), regardless of the symptomatology, over a 60-day period. Hemodialysis patients have a risk of infection that is 12.7 times that of the local population, while healthcare workers outperform the patients for Covid-positivity (30.3% vs 21.6%). Lethality in infected patients is high (31% of Covid-19+ subjects), while it is zero among healthcare professionals. The antibody response (qualitative and quantitative) in Covid-19+ patients is adequate, when compared to that of Covid-19+ healthcare staff. In our Center, the most critical phase lasted about 45 days but, thanks to the measures taken, it was possible to make the dialysis area Covid-free, as it remains after 128 days.

Prevalence of intramammary infections at prepartum and postpartum in primigravid heifers from five dairy herds located in the central dairy area of Argentina was determined. Mammary secretion samples from 140 heifers (560 mammary quarters) were obtained 14 days prior to the expected calving day and within 7 days after parturition and subjected to bacteriological analysis. No clinical mastitis cases were detected during the study. The number of infected heifers in at least one mammary quarter at pre and postpartum was 87 (62.2%) and 53 (37.8%), respectively. The most prevalent mastitis pathogens at prepartum among samples yielding a positive bacteriological culture were coagulase-negative staphylococci (69.07%), Staphylococcus aureus (12.71%) and Streptococcus uberis (4.42%). A decrease on isolation frequency of coagulase-negative staphylococci (53.41%) and S. uberis (2.27%) was observed at postpartum, while that of S. aureus showed an increase (21.59%). Presence of intramammary infections appeared to be associated with some management conditions. These results highlighted the need to improve diagnosis and control measures in replacement heifers.