ABSTRACT
Background: Arrhythmias may complicate congenital heart diseases, such as secundum atrial septal defects. We aimed at following up the rhythm changes in children after closure of ostiumsecundum atrial septal defects. Methods: The current study was conducted in the Pediatric Cardiology Unit, Tanta University, on 60 pediatric patients who had undergone either trans-catheter or surgical closure of secundum atrial septal defects. Complete history taking and full clinical assessment were done. Echocardiographic assessment was performed to detect any residual defects, and assess chamber dimensions, and cardiac functions. Electrocardiographic assessment including Holter monitoring was performed within two months afterthe procedure, after six months, and after one year. Arrhythmias were classified into major and minor types. All results were statistically analyzed and tabulated.Results: There were no significant differences between the pre-closure rhythm and the rhythm after closure of the defects throughout the follow-up. The percentage of patients with major arrhythmias has increased from 6.7% of the total sample to 13.3%, 11.6%, and 11.6% in the early, midterm and late follow up respectively. The significant risk factors for postoperative arrhythmias were; pre-closure arrhythmia, right atrial dilatation, and serious hemodynamic instability in the early follow up. Conclusions: We concluded that arrhythmiaswere common before and after atrial septal defect closure, without significant differences. Pre-closure arrhythmia, right atrial dilatation, and serious hemodynamic instability are considered important risk factors of arrhythmias after secundum atrial septal defect’s closure in pediatric patients
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Aims: The objective of this work was to evaluate heart rate variability (HRV) in critically-ill neonates admitted to NICU, to detect the effect of different causes of critical illness on cardiac autonomic function and outcome of these neonates.Study Design:Case-control study.Place and Duration of Study:Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Pediatric Department, Tanta University Hospital, in the period from January 2018 to May 2019.Methodology:We included 30 neonates who were critically-ill according to Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology with Perinatal Extension II (SNAPPE-II score) as cases Group. Fifteen healthy full term neonates, matched for age and sex, were enrolled as a control group. 24-hour Holter monitoring was performed with recording and interpretation of ECG data for every neonate in the study, including analysis of HRV.Results:There was significant increase of mean HR in critically-ill neonates as compared to control group. There was significant decrease of all HRV parameters (SDNN, SDANN, SDNNI, RMSSDand PNN50) in critically-ill neonates as compared to control group (P< 0.05). Significant negative correlations between SNAPPE-II score and HRV parameters (SDNN, SDANN, SDNNI, RMSSD, PNN50) in critically-ill neonates were present, whereas there was non-significant positive correlation between SNAPPE-II score and mean heart rate.Conclusion:HRV parameters decreased significantly in critically-ill neonates admitted to NICU, denoting severe cardiac autonomic dysfunction in these sick newborn infants. HRV strongly correlated to severity (SNAPPE-II score) and outcome, with strong relation to mortality of these critically-ill neonates
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Aim:This study aimed atassessingP-wave and QT interval dispersion in children with β-thalassemia and to correlate them with various laboratory and echocardiographic data. Methodology:Subjects comprised of 30 children with β-thalassemia major as the patient group. 30 healthy children matched for age and sex served as the control group. All patients were evaluated clinically as well as by echocardiography and 12 leads ECG. The type of study isprospective case control study.Results:There was a statistically significant increase ofInterventricular Septal end diastole(IVSd),Interventricular Septal end systole(IVSs),Left Ventricular Internal Diameter end diastole (LVIDd), Left Ventricular Internal Diameter end systole(LVIDs) andLeft Ventricular Posterior Wall end diastole(LVPWd) in patients as compared to controls (Mean ±SD = 0.950±0.166, 0.863±0.103, 3.983±0.456, 2.947±0.535and 0.797±0.165 respectively) (P < 0.05). Moreover, there were a significant increase of LV mass (Mean ±SD = 107.267±26.736, P= 0.002) and LV mass index of the studied patients (Mean ±SD = 106.900±22.651, P = 0.005)compared to the controls. There were significant decrease ofejection fraction(EF%)(Mean ±SD = 60.373 ± 8.088, P = 0.032)and fractional shortening(FS%) (Mean ±SD = 29.495 ± 4.171, P = 0.026) of the studied patients compared to control group. Both P wave dispersion (PWd) (Mean ±SD = 33.667 ± 13.767, P = 0.029) and QT dispersion (QTd) (Mean ±SD = 53.000 ± 18.411, P = 0.001) were significantly higher in patients compared to controls. There was a significant positive correlation between PWd and serum ferritin(r =0.551,P-value=0.002), LVIDd (r =0.406,P-value=0.026), LVPWd(r =0.461,P-value=0.010), LV mass (r =0.412,P-value=0.024), and LV mass index(r = 0.379,P-value=0.039). While, there were a significant positive correlations between QTd and serum ferritin (r =0.654,P-value <0.001), LVIDd (r = 0.388,P-value =0.034), LV mass (r = 0.454,P-value =0.012)and LV mass index (r = 0.456,P-value =0.011). Conclusion:P wave dispersion and QT dispersion were prolonged in children with β-thalassemia major denoting cardiac autonomic dysfunction with homogeneity disorders of atrial conduction and ventricular repolarization in these patients
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Objectives: Assessment ofplasma level of connective tissue growth factor in congestive heart failure children,assessment of its diagnostic and prognostic role and correlate its level with clinical and echocardiographic assessment of congestive heart failure.Methods: Connective tissue growth factorlevel in the plasma was measured in 40 children; 20 of them have congestive heart failure, and 20 are healthy then,correlated with clinical parameters. Results: The diagnostic and prognostic value of itwas evaluated. Wecompareditslevels in both patientsand healthy children. We found that connective tissue growth factor level was significantly increased in diseased children. Fractional shortening and ejection fraction correlated negatively with the plasma levelof connective tissue growth factor. Heart rate, respiratory rate and calibrated integrated backscatter correlated positively with connective tissue growth factor. Connective tissue growth factorwas significantly correlated with the class of heart failure according to Ross classification.Conclusions: Plasma connective tissue growth factor has a promising diagnostic and prognostic value as a biomarker for congestive heart failure in children with high sensitivity and specificity.