P-wave dispersion as a simple tool for screening childhood obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

Introduction: The gold standard for the diagnosis of childhood obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) diagnosis is polysomnography; however, electrocardiography (ECG) may provide a simpler alternative. P-wave dispersion (PWD), the difference between the maximum and minimum P-wave duration measured by 12-lead ECG, is increased in adult OSAS but has not been researched in childhood OSAS. The aims of this study were to determine the PWD and cut-off value for the diagnosis of childhood OSAS and its association with severity.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Immediate versus Delayed Umbilical Cord Clamping in Multiple-Birth Infants Born Preterm.

Background: Delayed cord clamping (DCC) improves placental transfusion and increases blood volume in preterm infants when compared with immediate cord clamping (ICC). However, evidence to support DCC in multiple-birth preterm infants is still lacking.

Objective: To compare the outcomes of ICC versus DCC in preterm infants of multiple births.

Comparison of three non-invasive hemodynamic monitoring methods in critically ill children.

Introduction: Hemodynamic parameters measurements were widely conducted using pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) with thermodilution as a reference standard. Due to its technical difficulties in children, transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) has been widely employed instead. Nonetheless, TTE requires expertise and is time-consuming.

Ultrasound Versus Traditional Palpation to Guide Radial Artery Cannulation in Critically Ill Children: A Randomized Trial.

Objectives: To identify success rates for radial artery cannulation in a pediatric critical care unit using either palpation or ultrasound guidance to cannulate the radial artery.

Methods: A prospective randomized comparative study of critically ill children who required invasive monitoring in a tertiary referral center was conducted. All patients were randomized by a stratified block of 4 to either ultrasound-guided or traditional palpation radial artery cannulation.

Myocardial performance index in active and inactive paediatric systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objectives: To evaluate cardiac structure and function in paediatric SLE patients without clinical evidence of cardiovascular disease in active and inactive diseases.

Methods: Patients aged ≤20 years who fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of active SLE underwent transthoracic echocardiography to evaluate cardiac structure and function, and were then followed up echocardiographically every 3-4 months until SLE disease was inactive. Patients with heart failure, myocarditis, pericarditis, endocarditis, coronary artery disease, or abnormal structural heart disease were excluded.

Improvement of Skills in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation of Pediatric Residents by Recorded Video Feedbacks.

Objective: To evaluate the pediatric residents' cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills, and their improvements after recorded video feedbacks.

Methods: Pediatric residents from a university hospital were enrolled. The authors surveyed the level of pediatric resuscitation skill confidence by a questionnaire.

Intrapulmonary vascular dilation in children with chronic liver diseases: pre- and post-liver transplantation.

Background And Study Aims: Chronic liver disease (CLD) can cause hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS), defined as triad of liver disease, hypoxemia, and intrapulmonary vascular dilation (IPVD). The aim of this study was to determine the evidence of IPVD in a cohort of pediatric patients with CLD pre- and post-liver transplantation (LT).

Material And Methods: All pediatric patients with CLD listed for LT were studied.

Cardiac abnormalities in cirrhotic children: pre- and post-liver transplantation.

Background/aim: Liver cirrhosis is associated with several cardiac abnormalities. There have been few studies of these abnormalities in cirrhotic children post-liver transplantation (LT). The purpose of this study was to evaluate cardiac abnormalities in cirrhotic children pre- and post-LT.

Effects of Domperidone on QT Interval in Children with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.

Background: Domperidone has been widely used in children with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Studies on the effects of domperidone on corrected QT interval (QTc) in young children are limited. Our aim was to study the effect of domperidone on the repolarization abnormalities assessed by electrocardiogram (ECG) in young children.

Accuracy of bedside glucometry in critically ill children with peripheral hypoperfusion.

The accuracy of glucose test strip in critically care has been questioned. We investigated the accuracy of glucose test strip in critically ill children. Patients, aged from 1 month to 18 years admitted in pediatric intensive care unit.

Non-invasive cardiac output assessment in critically ill paediatric patients.

Objective: Recently, non-invasive methods for cardiac output (CO) assessment have been developed including the ultrasonic cardiac output monitor (USCOM). This technique uses the same concept as Doppler echocardiography but differs in two aspects including continuous wave (CW) Doppler and estimated outflow tract diameter (OTD) used in USCOM compared to pulsed wave Doppler and directed measurement of OTD used in echocardiography. We sought to assess the agreement between CO assessment by USCOM and echocardiography in critically ill paediatric patients.

Perfusion index as a diagnostic tool for patent ductus arteriosus in preterm infants.

Background: Perfusion index (PI) could reflect peripheral flow. Preterm infants with hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (hsPDA) will have left-to-right shunt across PDA causing less blood flow to the lower legs.

Objective: To evaluate pre- and postductal PI differences (ΔPI) in hsPDA.

Rhythm disturbances in childhood obstructive sleep apnea during apnea-hypopnea episodes.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) can result in cardiovascular complications. Nocturnal arrhythmias are reported up to 50% of adult OSA patients. Arrhythmias and heart rate variability in children with OSA have not been well studied.

Patent ductus arteriosus associated with pulmonary hypertension and desaturation.

We present the cases of three children with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), and desaturation. One of them had desaturation associated with atrial septal defect (ASD). His ASD, PAH, and desaturation improved after successful device closure of the PDA.

Cardiovascular change in children with dengue shock syndrome.

To determine the cardiovascular changes in children with dengue shock syndrome. Echocardiography was performed in 8 children (5 females) with dengue shock syndrome, median age 6.5, 4.

Infection-associated hemophagocytic syndrome among patients with dengue shock syndrome and invasive aspergillosis: a case series and review of the literature.

The authors report four autopsy cases of previously healthy children with dengue shock syndrome complicated with infection-associated hemophagocytosis and invasive aspergillosis. Hemophagocytosis is confirmed by histopathology of autopsied reticuloendothelial organs. All four children were identified to have invasive aspergillosis by histopathology and three cases were positive on fungal culture for Aspergillus spp.

Carnitine levels and cardiac functions in children with solid malignancies receiving doxorubicin therapy.

Aim: Previous studies demonstrated l-carnitine decreasing doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Our objectives were to study carnitine levels and cardiac functions in children treated with doxorubicin and the effect of short-term l-carnitine supplements.

Materials And Methods: Serial carnitine levels and cardiac functions were obtained in children with newly diagnosed solid malignancies before doxorubicin, after cumulative doses of ≥150 mg/m(2) and ≥300 mg/m(2), respectively.

N-terminal-pro-brain natriuretic peptide: a guide for early targeted indomethacin therapy for patent ductus arteriosus in preterm Infants.

Aim: To determine whether N-terminal-pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level could be an effective guide for early targeted indomethacin therapy for patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in preterm infants.

Methods: An interventional study involved preterm infants, born at <33 weeks of gestation, who had plasma NT-proBNP levels obtained at day 2 of life. Indomethacin therapy was given if plasma NT-proBNP level was ≥10,180 pg/mL, the cut-off for predicting hemodynamic significant PDA (hsPDA).

QT dispersion in childhood obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome.

The difference between maximal and minimal QT interval and corrected QT interval defined as QT dispersion and corrected QT dispersion may represent arrhythmogenic risks. This study sought to evaluate QT dispersion and corrected QT dispersion in childhood obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome. Forty-four children (34 male) with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome, aged 6.

Pulmonary atresia and ventricular septal defect with collaterals to right lung associated with anomalous left pulmonary artery from the ascending aorta.

We present a 10-month-old boy with cyanosis. This is a rare case of pulmonary atresia, ventricular septal defect (VSD), major aorto-pulmonary collateral arteries (MAPCAs) to the right lung with absent native right pulmonary artery (RPA) in association with anomalous left pulmonary artery (LPA) from the ascending aorta (AAo). Echocardiography was unable to identify all of the cardiovascular abnormalities.

Hypoplastic right lung associated with right pulmonary vein stenosis and systemic collateral.

We present a case of a 6-month-old girl diagnosed as unilateral pulmonary vein stenosis (right inferior pulmonary vein) with dextroposition of the heart, hypoplastic right lung, hypoplastic right pulmonary artery, collateral from the descending aorta supplied right lower lung, connection between collateral and right pulmonary artery with retrograde flow from right pulmonary artery into main pulmonary artery, and right superior and middle pulmonary vein agenesis. A combined modality of imaging including chest film, echocardiography, multidetector computerized tomography, and the cardiac catheterization nicely demonstrated all of the unique and rare congenital abnormalities.

Cardiac dimensions and function in children with obesity.

Background: Obesity can cause alterations in cardiac dimensions and function, and cardiac dysfunction during childhood may affect the quality of life in adulthood. This study was done to evaluate left ventricular dimensions, systolic function, and the left ventricular myocardial performance index in children with obesity. MEHTODS AND RESULTS: Thirty-three obese children whose mean age was 9.

Large apical muscular ventricular septal defect: asymptomatic due to anomalous muscle bundles in the right ventricle.

This case report demonstrated an apical muscular ventricular septal defect (VSD) that was a large defect but behaved like a small defect because of the restrictive flow across the anomalous muscle bundles in the right ventricular (RV) apex. The anomalous muscle bundles separated the RV sinus into two parts: the RV apex connecting with the left ventricle through the apical muscular VSD on one side, and the rest of the RV sinus connecting with RV inflow and RV outflow on the other side. These findings explained why the 11-year-old girl in this study remained asymptomatic without evidence of volume load.

Prevalence of significant QTc prolongation and long QT syndrome in adolescents with syncope.

A total of 664 high school students having >or=1 episode of syncope and 560 students without syncope (controls) underwent 12-lead ECG. A significant QT prolongation was defined as corrected QT (QTc)>470 ms in male and >480 ms in female. A diagnosis of LQTS was made by Schwartz's score.

Left ventricular myocardial performance index in closely-related relatives of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.

In this study, the left ventricular dimensions, systolic function, and left ventricular myocardial performance index in the first-degree relatives of the children with dilated cardiomyopathy (n=19), 30.0+/-17.6 years to normal age- and sex-matched controls (n=25), 27.