Effect of oral ibuprofen on patent ductus arteriosus in premature newborns

Patent ductus arteriosus [PDA], a common finding among premature infants, is conventionally treated by intravenous indomethacin. Intravenous ibuprofen was recently shown to be as effective and to have fewer adverse reactions in preterm infants. If equally effective, then oral ibuprofen for PDA closure would have several important advantages over the intravenous route. This study was designed to determine whether oral ibuprofen treatment is efficacious and safe in closure of a PDA in premature infants. Thirty-three premature group I [study group] were treated with ibuprofen 10 mg/kg administered through a feeding tube. Thirty-three premature group II [control group] receive placebo the two imaging procedures were again performed 24h after each ibuprofen dose. When the PDA was still hemodynamically significant, as demonstrated by echocardiography, and there was no evidence of deterioration in brain ultrasonography, a second dose of ibuprofen 5mg/ kg [placebo for control] was administered. A third equivalent dose was given after another 24 h if necessary. Cranial ultrasound was repeated 1 week after the last ibuprofen dose and again before discharge from the ward. Hematochemical analysis was performed daily in the unit during the first days of life. In the study group the rate of PDA closure was 93.9% [31 of 33 case] while in the control group of the rate of PDA closure was 30.3% [10 of 33 cases] with significant difference in between. There was no reopening of the ductus after closure had been achieved. No infant required surgical ligation of the ductus in study group while in the control group 24.2% [8 of 33 cases] were required surgical ligation [Table 2]. Twenty- one newborns were treated with 1 dose of ibuprofen, 9 were treated with 2 doses, and the remaining 3 were treated with 3 doses. Oral ibuprofen is an effective and safe alternative to intravenous ibuprofen for PDA closure in premature infants

Early echocardiography abnormalities in obese children and adolescent and reversibility of these abnormalities after significant weight reduction

Obesity is becoming an epidemic threat for the individual and society. The increasing prevalence of overweight children and adolescents is likely to have a great impact on the future cardiovascular health of these subjects. Obesity is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Cardiac abnormalities of obese children and adolescents include the echocardiographically revealed early and preclinical LV or septal hypertrophy, and left or right ventricular dysfunction. Most of these abnormalities, which are usually more pronounced in patients with morbid obesity, can be partially reversed after weight reduction. Evaluate early echocardiography changes in obese children and whether these cardiac abnormalities reverse with significant weight reduction in children and adolescents or not. We started this study by 50 obese children and adolescents and 30 non obese controls matched for age and sex. BMI was calculated. Complete echocardiographic study was performed on each patient and control subject. Hematological and biochemical variables were determined in the obese subjects from fasting blood samples and included glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides [TG], HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. All our patients' strict dietetic regime with exercises for 6 months. After 6 months full examination, including all measurements and echocardiography and laboratory investigations were done again. Obese children has abnormalities of left ventricle structure and function [consisting of increased left ventricular wall dimensions and mass and alteration of diastolic function] that can be detected by echocardiography. Furthermore, [parameters of lipid metabolism] were found to be independent predictors of adverse LV remodeling and of diastolic dysfunction. As well as this study provides evidence that abnormalities of left ventricular wall dimension and mass in obese children and adolescents can improve with significant weight reduction. This study has demonstrated that young, obese children and adolescents have early significant changes in left ventricular wall dimensions and early diastolic filling compared with non obese and this changes are reversible with weight reduction

Echocardiographic abnormalities in children with sickle cell disease

Sickle cell disease [SCD] is an inherited disorder associated with significant morbidity, characterized by the presence of abnormal hemoglobin within the red blood cells. The cardiovascular system is stressed by chronic anemia, small pulmonary artery occlusions and myocardial hemosiderosis that cause multiple anatomical and functional changes. Anatomical and functional assessment of the heart through M mode, 2 dimension and doppler echocardiography in pediatric patients with sickle cell anemia [SCA]. Twenty-five children with SCA [mean age 10 +/- 3.4 years], 14 males and 11 females were prospectively studied in a comparison with 25 ages and sex matched healthy children. All of them underwent clinical and laboratory evaluation, M mode, 2 dimension and doppler echocardiography. Patients with SCD had higher left ventricular end diastolic dimension, left atrial dimension, stroke volume and left ventricular mass. Mild pulmonary hypertension with mean pulmonary artery systolic pressure [PASP] 30 +/- 5.40 mmHg. Chamber dilatation, left ventricular hypertrophy with increased left ventricular mass associated with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction secondary to chronic anemia with volume overload and sickle cell cardiomyopathy confirm the evidence of the literature in characterizing a sickle cell disease in pediatrics