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Optimal target blood pressure to reduce adverse cardiac remodelling in children with chronic kidney disease is uncertain. We hypothesised that lower blood pressure would reduce adverse cardiac remodelling.

BackgroundA double aortic arch (DAA) is increasingly identified before birth; however, there are no published data describing the postnatal outcome of a large prenatal cohort.ObjectiveTo describe the associations, symptoms and impact of prenatally diagnosed DAA.MethodsRetrospective review of consecutive cases seen at two fetal cardiology units from 2014 to 2019. Clinical records including symptoms and assessment of tracheobronchial compression using flexible bronchoscopy were reviewed. Moderate–severe tracheal compression was defined as >75% occlusion of the lumen.ResultsThere were 50 cases identified prenatally and 48 with postnatal follow-up. Array comparative genomic hybridisation (aCGH) was abnormal in 2/50 (4%), aCGH was normal in 33/50 (66%) and of those reviewed after birth, 13 were phenotypically normal. After birth, there was a complete DAA with patency of both arches in 8/48 (17%) and in 40/48 (83%) there was a segment of the left arch which was a non-patent, ligamentous connection.Stridor was present in 6/48 (13%) on the day of birth. Tracheo-oesophageal compressive symptoms/signs were present in 31/48 (65%) patients at median age of 59 days (IQR 9–182 days). Tracheal/carinal compression was present in 40/45 (88%) cases. Seven of 17 (41%) asymptomatic cases demonstrated moderate–severe tracheal compression. All morphologies of DAA caused symptoms and morphology type was not predictive of significant tracheal compression (p=0.3).ConclusionsGenetic testing should be offered following detection of double aortic arch. Early signs of tracheal compression are common and therefore delivery where onsite neonatal support is available is recommended. Significant tracheal compression may be present even in the absence of symptoms.

Speckle-tracking echocardiography has become a major tool in the evaluation of heart function. Atrial strain has emerged as an important component in the assessment of cardiac function, but there is a paucity of prenatal data. The aim of this study was to describe our initial experience of measurement of atrial strain in fetuses, with respect to both feasibility and the strain patterns observed.

In double aortic arch (DAA) one of the arches can demonstrate atretic portions postnatally, leading to diagnostic uncertainty due to overlap with isolated right aortic arch (RAA) variants. The main objective of this study is to demonstrate the morphological evolution of different DAA phenotypes from prenatal to postnatal life using 3D fetal cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) and postnatal CT/CMR imaging.

The Technical Performance Score (TPS) developed by Boston Children’s Hospital showed surgical outcomes correlate with adequacy of technical repair when implemented on pre-discharge echocardiograms. We applied this scoring system to intraoperative imaging in a tertiary UK congenital heart surgical centre.After a period of training, intraoperative TPS (epicardial and/or transesophageal echocardiography) was instituted. TPS was used to inform intraoperative discussions and recorded on a custom-made database using the previously published scoring system. After a year, we reviewed the feasibility, results and relationship between the TPS and mortality, extubation time and length of stay.From 01 September 2015 to 04 July 2016, there were 272 TPS procedures in 251 operations with 208 TPS recorded. Seven patients had surgery with no documented TPS, three had operations with no current TPS score template available. Patients left the operating theatre with TPS optimal in 156 (75%), adequate 34 (16%) and inadequate 18 (9%). Of those with an optimal score on leaving theatre, ten had more than one period of cardiopulmonary bypass. All four deaths <30 days after surgery (1.9%) had optimal TPS. There was a statistically significant difference in extubation times in the RACHS category 4 patients (3 days vs 5 days, P< 0.05) and in PICU and total length of stay in the RACHS category three patients (2 and 8 days vs 12.5 and 21.5 days respectively) if leaving theatre with an inadequate result.Application of intraoperative TPS is feasible and provides a way of objectively recording intraoperative imaging assessment of surgery. An ‘inadequate’ TPS did not predict mortality but correlated with a longer ventilation time and longer length of stay compared to those with optimal or adequate scores.

Three-dimensional echocardiography is a valuable tool for the assessment of cardiac function where it permits calculation of chamber volume and function. The anatomy of valvar and septal structures can be presented in unique and intuitive ways to enhance surgical planning. Guidance of interventional procedures using the technique has now become established in many clinical settings. Enhancements of image processing to include intracavity flow, image fusion and true 3D displays look set to further improve the contribution of this modality to care of the patient with congenital heart disease.

Two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound echocardiography is the primary technique used to diagnose congenital heart disease before birth. There is, however, a longstanding need for a reliable form of secondary imaging, particularly in cases when more detailed three-dimensional (3D) vascular imaging is required, or when ultrasound windows are of poor diagnostic quality. Fetal MRI, which is well established for other organ systems, is highly susceptible to fetal movement, particularly for 3D imaging. The objective of this study was to investigate the combination of prenatal MRI with novel, motion-corrected 3D image registration software, as an adjunct to fetal echocardiography in the diagnosis of congenital heart disease.

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AbstractAs survival after cardiac surgery continues to improve, an increasing number of patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome are reaching school age and beyond, with growing recognition of the wide range of neurodevelopmental challenges many survivors face. Improvements in fetal detection rates, coupled with advances in fetal ultrasound and MRI imaging, are contributing to a growing body of evidence that abnormal brain architecture is in fact present before birth in hypoplastic left heart syndrome patients, rather than being solely attributable to postnatal factors. We present an overview of the contemporary data on neurodevelopmental outcomes in hypoplastic left heart syndrome, focussing on imaging techniques that are providing greater insight into the nature of disruptions to the fetal circulation, alterations in cerebral blood flow and substrate delivery, disordered brain development, and an increased potential for neurological injury. These susceptibilities are present before any intervention, and are almost certainly substantial contributors to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in later childhood. The task now is to determine which subgroups of patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome are at particular risk of poor neurodevelopmental outcomes and how that risk might be modified. This will allow for more comprehensive counselling for carers, better-informed decision making before birth, and earlier, more tailored provision of neuroprotective strategies and developmental support in the postnatal period.

AbstractIntroductionThe hybrid procedure is one mode of initial palliation for hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Subsequently, patients proceed with either the “three-stage” pathway – comprehensive second stage followed by Fontan completion – or the “four-stage” pathway – Norwood procedure, hemi-Fontan, or Fontan completion. In this study, we describe somatic growth patterns observed in the hybrid groups and a comparison primary Norwood group.MethodsA retrospective analysis of patients who have undergone hybrid procedure and Fontan completion was performed. Weight-for-age and height-for-age z-scores were recorded at each operation.ResultsWe identified 13 hybrid patients – eight in the three-stage pathway and five in the four-stage pathway – and 49 Norwood patients. Weight: three stage: weight decreased from hybrid procedure to comprehensive second stage (−0.4±1.3 versus −2.3±1.4, p<0.01) and then increased to Fontan completion (−0.4±1.5 versus −0.6±1.4, p<0.01); four stage: weight decreased from hybrid procedure to Norwood (−2.0±1.4 versus −3.3±0.9, p=0.06), then stabilised to hemi-Fontan. Weight increased from hemi-Fontan to Fontan completion (−2.7±0.6 versus −1.0±0.7, p=0.01); primary Norwood group: weight decreased from Norwood to hemi-Fontan (p<0.001) and then increased to Fontan completion (p<0.001). Height: height declined from hybrid procedure to Fontan completion in the three-stage group. In the four-stage group, height decreased from hybrid to hemi-Fontan, and then increased to Fontan completion. The Norwood group decreased in height from Norwood to hemi-Fontan, followed by an increase to Fontan completion.ConclusionIn this study, we show that patients undergoing the hybrid procedure have poor weight gain before superior cavopulmonary connection, before returning to baseline by Fontan completion. This study identifies key periods to target poor somatic growth, a risk factor of morbidity and worse neurodevelopmental outcomes.

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Prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease (CHD) is important for investigation of affected fetuses for comorbidities, prognostication, preparation for postnatal management, and parental choice about continuation of pregnancyHistorical risk factors, such as a family history of CHD, or fetal risk factors, including increased nuchal translucency, warrant investigation with detailed fetal echocardiographyMost fetuses with CHD present in the 'low-risk' population, and prenatal detection depends on recognizing abnormalities during obstetric scansCardiac anomalies characterized by an abnormal four-chamber view of the heart have a higher detection rate than those in which the abnormality is primarily of the outflow tractsFor particular cardiac lesions, including transposition of the great arteries, coarctation of the aorta, and hypoplastic left heart syndrome, prenatal diagnosis improves outcomesPrenatal diagnosis of CHD allows the preparation of postnatal intervention in most instances; in a minority of cases (mainly critical left-heart lesions), fetal cardiac intervention can be considered

AbstractBackground:Children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at increased risk of future cardiovascular (CV) events. Our aim in this prospective single-centre cross-sectional analysis was to assess the relationship of a novel panel of CV biomarkers with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Methods:A panel of five CV biomarkers (asymmetric dimethyl arginine, high sensitivity C-reactive protein, homocysteine, N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide and uric acid) were measured on the same day as an echocardiogram assessment, in paediatric patients with pre-dialysis stages 3-5 of CKD. Results:Of 73 children aged 5-18 years, LVH, all eccentric, was identified in 38. Systolic blood pressure (BP), glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and higher intake of calcium-based phosphate binders were significantly worse in children with LVH. In multivariate models analysing each biomarker one at a time with confounders [GFR, systolic BP z-score, anti-hypertensive medication (yes/no) and elemental calcium intake], clinic systolic BP z-score and elemental calcium intake consistently displayed a significant relationship with indexed left ventricular mass (LVMI). None of the evaluated CV biomarkers displayed a significant relationship with LVMI. Conclusions:In our cohort of children with moderately severe pre-dialysis CKD we have identified no suitable biomarkers to detect LVH. We would therefore recommend that echocardiographic determination of LVMI remains the technique of choice for detection of LVH in children with CKD.© 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel

The geometry and heterogeneity of the right ventricle in hypoplastic left heart syndrome makes objective echocardiographic assessment of systolic function challenging. Consequently, subjective echocardiographic assessment of right ventricular (RV) function is still routinely undertaken. The aims of this study were to compare this with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), investigate the impact of experience and training on the accuracy of subjective assessment, and critically analyze the role of echocardiography to detect impaired systolic function.

AbstractAimTo assess the quality of imaging modalities of a new micro multiplane transoesophageal echocardiogram probe.MethodThis is a prospective study of micro transoesophageal echocardiogram S8-3t probe used at a single institution between 15 December, 2009 and 15 March, 2010. The images were compared with standard paediatric or adult probes where possible. Assessors prospectively rated imaging quality – two dimensional, colour flow imaging, pulse wave, and continuous wave Doppler – with a subjective 4-point scale (1 = poor to 4 = excellent).ResultsA total of 24 studies were performed on 23 patients, with a median weight = 11.7 kilograms (2.6–72 kilograms) and a median age of 3 years (0.16–60 years). Of the 23 patients, one neonate (2.8 kilograms) had transient bradycardia on probe insertion. Imaging in patients less than 10 kilograms was of full diagnostic value and new information was obtained in eight out of ten patients. Pulse wave and continuous wave Doppler was consistently good across all weight groups. There were high frame rates and good imaging quality to a depth of 4–6 centimetres in all studies. A comparison with a larger alternative probe was available for 12 studies (weight 11.9–72 kilograms). The median micro transoesophageal two-dimensional image quality score was 3 (2–4) and 4 (3–4) with the comparative probe. For the 10- to 30-kilogram group, image quality with the micro transoesophageal echocardiogram probe was judged as inferior to larger standard probes. Adult sized patients had good imaging of near the field, allowing guidance for percutaneous device closure of the atrial septum.ConclusionThe micro multiplane transoesophageal echocardiogram probe provides imaging of diagnostic quality in neonates. In larger patients, it offers good imaging of near field structures. In the intermediate-sized child (10–30 kilograms), standard paediatric probes provide better imaging.

AbstractObjectivesOur aims were to estimate the prevalence of increased nuchal translucency in fetuses with a normal karyotype that were subsequently diagnosed with congenital cardiac disease on fetal echocardiography, and to assess whether there is a link between increased nuchal translucency and specific congenital cardiac malformations.MethodsWe reviewed all patients referred to King?s College Hospital and the Evelina Children?s Hospital in London for fetal echocardiography between January 1998 and December 2007. We investigated the proportion of chromosomally normal fetuses with congenitally malformed hearts in which nuchal thickness was increased, both overall and with specific defects.ResultsWe indentified 2133 fetuses with congenital cardiac disease by prenatal echocardiography. Of those, 707 were excluded due to abnormal karyotype, and 690 were excluded due to unknown karyotype. The remaining 736 were eligible for inclusion. Among 481 fetuses with documented congenital cardiac disease and normal chromosomes, making up 23% of the overall cohort, 224 had increased nuchal thickness defined as equal or greater than 2.5 millimetres, this being 0.47 of the inclusive cohort, with 95% confidence intervals from 0.42 to 0.51. These proportions were significantly higher than the expected proportion of the normal population, which was 0.05 (p < 0.001). The only diagnosis for which the proportion of fetuses with nuchal translucency measurement equal or greater than 2.5 millimetres was higher than the others was atrioventricular septal defect, with 0.62 of this cohort having abnormal values, with 95% confidence intervals from 0.47 to 0.77 (p = 0.038).ConclusionWe found that nearly half of prenatally diagnosed fetuses with congenitally malformed hearts, when examined ultrasonically in the first or early-second trimester, had increased nuchal thickness. We recommend, therefore, referral of all fetuses with increased nuchal translucency for fetal echocardiography.

Real-time three dimensional echocardiography is increasingly used for imaging patients with congenital cardiac malformations. One of the limitations of a transthoracic approach is that intervening structures can impact on the quality of the images obtained. We hypothesised that, during surgery, epicardial three-dimensional echocardiography would provide images of high quality. We report our findings in eight children or young adults, with weights ranging from 2.8 to 70 kilograms, in whom we used this approach. In all cases, we obtained images of good quality, which could be analysed rapidly in the operating room. Of the eight cases, seven had echocardiographic findings which matched exactly the surgical findings. The remaining child had been diagnosed echocardiographically with a cleft in the aortic leaflet of the mitral valve, but was found at surgery to have a double orifice in the valve.

Objectives: To describe the echocardiographic features, underlying causes, and outcome of fetuses with dilated cardiomyopathy. Design: A retrospective observational study between 1983 and 2003 at a tertiary centre for fetal cardiology. Patients: Affected fetuses were identified using a computerised database. We included fetuses with dilation and reduced systolic function of either the right ventricle, left ventricle, or both. We excluded fetuses with abnormal cardiac connections, arrhythmias, or stenosis of the aortic or pulmonary valves. In all, we identified 50 fetuses, born to 46 mothers. Of the fetuses, 24 had biventricular cardiomyopathy, 17 had isolated right ventricular cardiomyopathy, and 9 had isolated left ventricular cardiomyopathy. Two-thirds of the fetuses (32) were hydropic at some point during gestation. Main outcomes: A cause of cardiomyopathy was identified in 37 cases (74 per cent). This was genetic or metabolic in 11 fetuses; infective in 11; fetal anaemia, without proven parvovirus infection, in 5; of cardiac origin in 5; and an association with renal disease in 5. In 10 cases (20 per cent), the pregnancy was terminated. Based on an intention to treat, the survival to delivery was 25 of 40 (62.5 per cent, 95 per cent confidence intervals from 46 to 77 per cent), at 28 days was 17 of 40 (42.5 per cent, 95 per cent confidence intervals from 27 to 59 per cent), and at 1 year was 15 of 40 (37.5 per cent, 95 per cent confidence intervals from 23 to 54 per cent). The overall survival of non-hydropic fetuses was 9 of 18 (50 per cent), compared to 6 of 32 (18 per cent) hydropic fetuses. Conclusions: Genetic, metabolic, infective, and cardiac diseases may present with dilated cardiomyopathy during fetal life. There is a high rate of spontaneous intra-uterine and early neonatal death. The prognosis is particularly poor for hydropic fetuses.

Right ventricular dysfunction is known to occur after the first stage of the Norwood sequence for treatment of patients with hypoplasia of the left heart. In a subset of patients, such ventricular dysfunction occurs without a specific anatomical cause. We describe two such cases with severe right ventricular dysfunction. In both cases, magnetic resonance imaging was used accurately to measure ventricular function and assess the arterial trunks. In both cases, cardiac transplantation was considered, but right ventricular function improved without invasive management. Transient right ventricular dysfunction in these cases may be due to the reduced ability of the right ventricle to adapt to the systemic vasculature. The improvement in ventricular function in these two cases may be due to delayed adaptation.

A 5-week-old child presented with a cardiac arrest secondary to myocardial ischaemia. Echocardiography demonstrated a single coronary artery arising from the right sinus of Valsalva. The coronary artery branched into left and right arteries, with the left artery then coursing anomalously in the tissue plane between the aortic root and the subpulmonary infundibulum. Compression of the left coronary artery caused severe myocardial ischaemia that resolved following construction of a bypass graft using the left internal thoracic artery. Stenosis at the anastomosis between the graft and the coronary artery was successfully treated by coronary angioplasty 2 years later.

Objective: To document the echocardiographic features of tetralogy of Fallot during fetal and postnatal life. Correlation of echocardiographic findings with the requirement for early intervention prior to definitive repair. Design: Retrospective observational study. Setting: A tertiary fetal cardiology unit. Patients: Fetuses with a diagnosis of tetralogy of Fallot identified from a prospective database between 1 January 1999 and 31 October 2002. Main measures of outcome: Growth of aorta and pulmonary trunk during fetal and postnatal life. Doppler assessment of the great arteries both prenatally and postnatally. Clinical outcome to definitive repair. Results: We identified 25 fetuses with tetralogy of Fallot, 23 having a pulmonary valvar diameter below the normal range at some point during gestation. The ratio of the diameter of the aortic to the pulmonary valve was abnormal in all cases. The pulmonary arterial Doppler velocity was within the normal range in six fetuses at presentation, and elevated in the remainder. In two fetuses, the right ventricular outflow tract was patent during fetal life, but had become atretic at birth. Both of these fetuses had reversal of flow in the arterial duct at presentation during fetal life. In 2 fetuses in whom we showed poor growth of the pulmonary trunk in late gestation, it was necessary to intervene early. The Doppler velocity across the pulmonary valve during fetal life did not differentiate between babies who required early intervention and those who were repaired electively. There was a marked increase in pulmonary arterial Doppler velocity following birth, which became more elevated with age. Of 18 liveborn infants, 17 have survived, with 2 having balloon dilation of the right ventricular outflow tract, and 3 insertion of a Blalock-Taussig shunt prior to definitive repair. Conclusions: In tetralogy of Fallot, features of pulmonary valvar hypoplasia and obstruction are evident during fetal life. Progression of obstruction in the right ventricular outflow tract was observed during fetal life as well as postnatally. Reversal of flow in the arterial duct, and failure of growth of the pulmonary trunk, predicted the need for early surgery to maintain pulmonary blood flow. Parents should be counselled about the possibility of emergency intervention being required after birth. Affected fetuses should be delivered at units with experience of managing the cyanosed newborn.

Objective Evaluation of transabdominal fetal echocardiography at 12–15 weeks of gestation.

Doppler assessment of ventricular filling and outflow tract velocities is an integral part of fetal echocardiography, to assess diastolic function, systolic function, and outflow tract obstruction. There is a paucity of prospective data from a large sample of normal fetuses in the published literature. The authors report reference ranges for pulsed-wave Doppler flow of the mitral valve, tricuspid valve, aortic valve, and pulmonary valve, as well as heart rate, in a large number of fetuses prospectively examined at a single tertiary fetal cardiology center.

An eight-month-old girl with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, who underwent a modified Norwood operation at the age of two days, and a Hemifontan operation at five months of age, had severely impaired ventricular function and new electrocardiographic changes. Coronary angiography demonstrated a small adherent thrombus in the non-coronary sinus of Valsalva of the native aortic root, which may be the cause of unexplained ventricular dysfunction.

There is a growing body of research on fetal speckle-tracking echocardiography because it is considered to be an angle-independent modality. The primary aim of this study was to investigate whether angle of insonation and acquisition frame rate (FR) influence left ventricular endocardial global longitudinal peak strain (GLS) in the fetus.

We report a case where fetal echocardiography identified both complete heart block and ventricular tachycardia. The mother tested positive for anti-Ro antibodies. Prenatal detection of this unusual combination of arrhythmias prompted early postnatal evaluation, which revealed prolongation of the QT interval. Autoimmune mediated congenitally complete heart block associated with such prolongation of the QT interval has a poor prognosis. The child was successfully treated with beta blockers and implantation of a pacemaker.

In a fetus at 20 weeks gestation, we found a large fistula from the left coronary artery to the left atrium in association with tetralogy of Fallot. Postnatally, the therapeutic issues were complex because of prematurity, low birth weight, decreased flow of blood to the lungs, and volume overload of the left ventricle because of the huge fistula. At three months, the baby underwent repair of tetralogy of Fallot, with surgical ligation of the fistula, but the baby died postoperatively.

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The article provides information on an evidence that Google search results are skewed to its own advantage as claimed by U.S. advocacy group Consumer Watchdog.

Aims Exercise limitation is common post-Fontan. Hybrid X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging (XMR) catheterization allows haemodynamic assessment by means of measurement of ventricular volumes and flow in major vessels with simultaneous invasive pressures. We aim to assess haemodynamic response to stress in patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) post-Fontan. Methods and results Prospective study of 13 symptomatic children (NHYA 2) with HLHS post-Fontan using XMR catheterization. Three conditions were applied: baseline (Stage 1), dobutamine at 10 µg/kg/min (Stage 2), and dobutamine at 20 µg/kg/min (Stage 3). Seven consecutive patients received inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) at peak stress. Control MRI data were from normal healthy adults. In the HLHS patients, baseline mean pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) was 1.51 ± 0.59 WU m2 and aortopulmonary collateral flow was 17.7 ± 13.6% of systemic cardiac output. Mean right ventricular end-diastolic pressure was 6.7 ± 2.5 mmHg which did not rise with stress. Cardiac index (CI) increased at Stage 2 in HLHS (40%) and controls (61%) but continued to increase at Stage 3 only in controls (19%) but not in HLHS. The blunted rise in CI in HLHS was due to a continuing fall in end-diastolic volume throughout stress, with no significant change in PVR or CI at peak stress in response to iNO. Conclusion Cardiac output post-Fontan in HLHS at peak stress is blunted due to a limitation in preload which is not responsive to inhaled pulmonary vasodilators in the setting of normal PVR.

SEVERE hypertensive episodes, sometimes fatal, may occur after the eating of ripened cheeses by patients receiving potent monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors. Most reported cases have been associated with the mood-elevator tranylcypromine sulfate. This is a report of a severe, paradoxical hypertensive crisis occurring in a patient taking the antihypertensive MAO inhibitor, pargyline hydrochloride, apparently precipitated by the ingestion of aged cheddar cheese. REPORT OF A CASE A 59-year-old white widow, a laboratory technician at night, sought medical assistance at 11 PM on Dec 30, 1963, because of generalized pounding headache, profuse sweating, weakness, tremulousness, and anxiety. She had a long history of hypertension which was first noted in 1947 during routine blood pressure evaluation for a blood donation. From 1947 to 1959 she had no symptoms related to the hypertension and she received no antihypertensive medication. While she was working for a physician in 1959 her blood pressure was found

Aims To describe tissue Doppler time intervals and derived indices in hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) across surgical stages, taking account of age-related changes in the heart rate. Correlation of the myocardial performance index (MPI) and the systolic to diastolic (S:D) time ratio with other echocardiographic and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures of cardiac performance. Methods and results Fifty-seven patients at different stages of HLHS palliation were studied prospectively using tissue Doppler imaging of the right ventricular free wall, with simultaneous cardiac MRI in the majority. Both isovolumic contraction time and isovolumic relaxation time were prolonged compared with the normal left and right ventricle: median (range) z-scores for the tricuspid annulus 1.9 (−1.2 to 9.3) and 1.3 (−2.0 to 5.5), respectively. When adjusted for heart rate, the ejection, systolic, and diastolic times in HLHS were not significantly different from published normal data. The MPI was increased at all surgical stages in HLHS. Neither MPI nor heart rate-specific S:D time ratio z-score correlated with MRI ejection fraction or indexed cardiac output when the confounding effect of significant tricuspid regurgitation was taken into consideration. Conclusion The prolongation in isovolumic relaxation and contraction times may be due to adaptation or reduced myocardial performance. Differences in the S:D time ratio between surgical stages can be accounted for by the heart rate alone. Neither MPI z-score nor S:D z-score correlated with MRI or other echocardiographic indices of systolic or diastolic function with the exception of a negative correlation between central venous pressure and S:D ratio z-score.

The article reports that nonprofit organization Consumer Watchdog is planning to file a petition with the U.S. Federal Communication Commission (FCC) against its decision that websites will not honor the do not track browser settings. It presents views of John M. Simpson, privacy project director of Consumer Watchdog, on the reclassification of internet.