Neurohormonal activity and vascular properties late after aortic coarctation repair.

Background: Coarctation of aorta (CoA) patients present cardiovascular complications late after repair the causes of which are not fully understood. Our study investigates the neurohormonal and immune activation and the elastic properties of the aorta and peripheral vessels in adult patients with coarctation of aorta (CoA), late after repair.

Methods: Nineteen adult patients with repaired CoA and 29 matched healthy controls underwent aortic distensibility, stiffness index, a study of the elastic properties of peripheral vessels proximal to the coarctation site and measurement of plasma cytokine and neurohormone levels.

Heart rate turbulence in adults with repaired tetralogy of Fallot.

Background: Tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) patients face an increased risk of sudden cardiac death late after repair. Heart rate turbulence (HRT) indices are well-known predictors of sudden cardiac death. We aimed to estimate whether HRT is impaired in repaired ToF patients compared to healthy controls and relate those HRT parameters to already recognized prognostic markers.