Changes in Patient Characteristics of Infective Endocarditis with Congenital Heart Disease: 25 Years Experience in a Single Institution

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The profile of infective endocarditis (IE) has changed and is now showing an increasing prevalence of IE among congenital heart disease (CHD) patients. We studied the change of clinical profiles of IE over the past 25 years in patients with CHD at a single institution. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We reviewed medical records retrospectively for 325 patients diagnosed with IE between January 1, 1987, and March 31, 2012. We analyzed and compared the differences in patient characteristics and outcomes between 1987-2000 (group A) and 2001-2012 (group B). RESULTS: Over the 25-year period, 93 cases of IE in CHD patients were diagnosed (59 cases in group A and 34 cases in group B). Ventricular septal defect was the most common underlying cardiac disease observed during the entire period. The most common causative pathogen was Streptococcus in both groups. Group A contained 16 cases (27.1%) that had undergone cardiac surgery, whereas this number was 19 (55.8%) in group B. The number of patients who had undergone palliative care or surgery using prosthetic materials was higher among group B patients (p<0.001). Surgical procedures due to uncontrolled infection were performed in three cases in group A and 10 cases in group B. CONCLUSION: Infective endocarditis and CHD show a close correlation, and the profile of IE patients can change in line with an increase in the survival rate of patients with complex CHD and the improvement of surgical techniques. Ongoing reassessment and the systematic management of these patients is crucial in the prevention and treatment of IE.

Transcatheter Closure of Secundum Atrial Septal Defect in Patients Over 60 Years Old

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Atrial septal defect (ASD) is the one of most common congenital heart diseases detected in adults. Along with remarkable development of device technology, the first treatment strategy of secundum ASD has been transcatheter closure in feasible cases. However, there are only a few publications regarding the results of transcatheter closure of ASD in elderly patients, especially those over 60 years of age. We report our results of transcatheter closure of ASD in patients over 60 years old. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Between May 2006 and December 2011, 31 patients over 60 years old (25 female and 6 male; mean 66.7+/-5.25 years old, range 61-78 years old) were referred to our center. RESULTS: A total of 23 patients underwent therapeutic catheterization to close secundum ASD, and the closure was successful in 22 patients (95.7%). All patients who underwent the procedure survived except for one patient who expired because of left ventricular dysfunction. A small residual shunt was observed in two (9%) of 21 patients before discharge but disappeared at follow-up. All patients eventually had complete closure. There were five patients who had coronary problems. One patient underwent percutaneous coronary intervention using a stent at the same time as transcatheter closure of ASD. Atrial arrhythmias were detected in 6 of 23 patients (26.1%) before the procedure. One patient was successfully treated by radiofrequency ablation before the procedure. No patients displayed new onset arrhythmia during the follow-up period. Follow-up echocardiographic evaluation showed a significantly improved right ventricular geometry. CONCLUSION: We conclude that transcatheter closure of ASD is a safe and an effective treatment method for patients over 60 years old if the procedure is performed under a thorough evaluation of comorbidities and risk factors.

Transcatheter Closure of Secundum Atrial Septal Defect in Patients Over 60 Years Old

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Atrial septal defect (ASD) is the one of most common congenital heart diseases detected in adults. Along with remarkable development of device technology, the first treatment strategy of secundum ASD has been transcatheter closure in feasible cases. However, there are only a few publications regarding the results of transcatheter closure of ASD in elderly patients, especially those over 60 years of age. We report our results of transcatheter closure of ASD in patients over 60 years old. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Between May 2006 and December 2011, 31 patients over 60 years old (25 female and 6 male; mean 66.7+/-5.25 years old, range 61-78 years old) were referred to our center. RESULTS: A total of 23 patients underwent therapeutic catheterization to close secundum ASD, and the closure was successful in 22 patients (95.7%). All patients who underwent the procedure survived except for one patient who expired because of left ventricular dysfunction. A small residual shunt was observed in two (9%) of 21 patients before discharge but disappeared at follow-up. All patients eventually had complete closure. There were five patients who had coronary problems. One patient underwent percutaneous coronary intervention using a stent at the same time as transcatheter closure of ASD. Atrial arrhythmias were detected in 6 of 23 patients (26.1%) before the procedure. One patient was successfully treated by radiofrequency ablation before the procedure. No patients displayed new onset arrhythmia during the follow-up period. Follow-up echocardiographic evaluation showed a significantly improved right ventricular geometry. CONCLUSION: We conclude that transcatheter closure of ASD is a safe and an effective treatment method for patients over 60 years old if the procedure is performed under a thorough evaluation of comorbidities and risk factors.

QTc Prolongation after Ventricular Septal Defect Repair in Infants

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Prolonging of the corrected QT interval (QTc) has been reported after cardiac surgery in some studies. However, there have not been many studies on infant open cardiac surgery for ventricular septal defect (VSD) repair. This study was performed to define the changes in QTc and to find related post-surgery factors in this patient group. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: From 2008 to 2012, 154 infants underwent VSD repair at the Severance Cardiovascular Hospital. This study includes 105 of these cases. QTc was measured in these patients retrospectively. Demographic data and peri-procedural data, such as Aristotle score, cross-clamp time and bypass time, were analyzed. The exclusion criteria included multiple and small VSDs that underwent direct closure. RESULTS: Mean post-operative QTc was increased compared to the pre-operative measurements (from 413.6+/-2.3 to 444.9+/-2.5, p<0.001). In multiple linear regression, the comprehensive Aristotle score was associated with increasing QTc (p=0.047). The incidence of transient arrhythmia, such as atrial tachycardia, junctional ectopic tachycardia, premature atrial contraction, or premature ventricular contraction, was associated with QTc prolongation (p=0.005). Prolonged QTc was also associated with cross-clamp time (p=0.008) and low weight (p=0.042). Total length of stay at the intensive care unit and intubation time after surgery were not associated with QTc prolongation. CONCLUSION: Prolonged QTc could be seen after VSD repair in infants. This phenomenon was associated with peri-procedural factors such as the Aristotle score and cross-clamp time. Patients with QTc prolongation after cardiac surgery had an increased tendency towards arrhythmogenicity in the post-operative period.

A Case of Small Bowel Ulcer Associated with Helicobacter pylori / 대한소아소화기영양학회지

The etiology of peptic ulcer disease in children may be primary, associated with Helicobacter pylori infection, or secondary, relied on underlying disease. Ulcerative lesions by H. pylori are mainly distributed in the duodenal bulb and they are rare below the ampulla of Vater because H. pylori growth is inhibited by bile juice. In this reason, there are only some restrictive reports presented small bowel ulcer associated H. pylori. We found multiple small bowel ulcerative lesions associated with H. pylori in an 11-year-old girl without any systemic disease while performing esophagogastroenteroscopy to the level of the proximal jejunum for differentiating bezoar. The abdominal pain improved after the patient was administered H. pylori eradication therapy. Because a small bowel ulcer associated with H. pylori has rarely been reported, we report it here with literature review.

Clinical Characteristics and Psychological Analysis in Children with Tic Disorder / 대한소아신경학회지

PURPOSE: Tic disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder which begins in early childhood and continues into adolescence and adults. Tic disorder affects 1-2% of the population. In order to make a correct diagnosis and treatment of tic disorder, the clinical psychological analysis is needed because children with tic disorder tend to have higher rates of emotional and behavioral difficulties than those of the general population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and psychological characteristics of child with tic disorder. METHODS: The sample consisted of 69 patients with tic disorder who visited to the pediatric neurology clinic of Kangnam sacred heart hospital from January 2007 to June 2010. Fifty patients who visited our clinic without tic disorder were included in the control group. Patients were classified as the DSM-IV, Tourette's disorder, chronic motor or vocal tic disorder, transient tic disorder and tic disorder not otherwise specified. Korean child behavior checklist (K-CBCL), K-WISC-III, ADS, K-ARS was conducted in the tic disorder patients and T score of K-CBCL was compared with the control group. RESULTS: Male to female ratio was 2.5:1 in the study group and the mean age was 9.5+/-3.2 years old. The symptom period was 16.7+/-17.2 months at their first visit. Twelve subjects (18%) presented with Tourette syndrome, 14 subjects (20%) had multiple chronic motor or phonic tic disorder, 20 subjects (29%) had transient tic disorder and 23 subjects (33%) had tic disorder not otherwise specified. The Medications were given in 26 patients and risperidone was the primary drug for most of them. The mean T scores of K-CBCL were 55.5+/-6.1 for attention scale, 56.9+/-6.9 for anxiety-depression scale, 56.5+/-7.4 for withdrawn scale, 52.0+/-3.4 for emotional lability scale. All of them were higher than control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: In order to make a correct diagnosis and treatment of tic disorder, the clinical psychological assessment is mandatory due to their higher rates of emotional and behavioral difficulties.