Early myocardial functional abnormalities in primary dyslipidemia: clinical and echocardiographic observations in young children from a highly consanguineous population.

Background: Dyslipidemia is a major health problem among children and adolescents worldwide due to its significant association with cardiovascular disease. Primary dyslipidemias are commonly familial syndromes that can be completely asymptomatic.

Purpose: Apart from the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), limited data are currently available on the direct effects of dyslipidemia on myocardial function in children.

The clinical value of ficolin-3 gene polymorphism in rheumatic heart disease. An Egyptian adolescents study.

Objective: Ficolin-3 is one of the innate immunity molecules that was thought to play a pivotal role in Streptococcus pyogenes autoimmunity and its complications; rheumatic fever (RF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD). We aimed to disclose if there is an association between ficolin-3 (FCN3) gene polymorphisms (rs4494157 and rs10794501) and RF with or without RHD for the first time in Egyptian adolescents.

Results: Serum ficolin-3 level was significantly elevated in patients suffering from RF with and without RHD in comparison with control.

Biventricular reverse remodeling and relationship with mitral valve prolapse after transcatheter closure of ASD secundum, a 3D echocardiographic study.

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is the most common anomaly of the mitral valve. Several studies have shown prevalence of MVP in atrial septal defect (ASD) especially secundum types (II). The aims of this study is to show the potential role of 3D echocardiography in improving the diagnosis of MVP and to depict the relationship between reverse remodeling of the right and left ventricles (RV, LV) and MVP after transcatheter closure of ASD II.

Experience with balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty and predictors of outcome: a ten-year study.

Background: Balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty is the treatment of choice for patients with moderate to severe pulmonary valve stenosis.

Methods: An observational retrospective cross-sectional study including neonates, small infants, and children who underwent balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty in the period from 2007 to 2016 in the cardiac catheterisation unit of the paediatric cardiology department in Cairo University. Multivariable models were built to report the predictors of the outcome of balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty and its complications.

Left ventricular mass index and subendocardial myocardial function in children with chronic kidney disease, a transmural strain and three-dimensional echocardiographic study.

Introduction: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is the commonest myocardial response to chronic kidney disease (CKD); this response has been regarded detrimental as it impairs the blood flow to the deepest layers of the myocardium causing progressive myocardial dysfunction. The aim of these series is to assess the determinants of LVH in CKD patients and its impact on subendocardial function in such patients.

Methods: This study has been conducted on 40 CKD patients (Group 1) and 40 age-matched controls, both groups were assessed by transmural echocardiography to determine the subepicardial and subendocardial global longitudinal strain (GLS) as an expression of the systolic function of each of those layers.

MBL2 gene polymorphism rs1800450 and rheumatic fever with and without rheumatic heart disease: an Egyptian pilot study.

Background: Rheumatic fever (RF) is the result of an autoimmune response to pharyngitis caused by infection with Streptococcus pyogenes. RF is most prevalent in Africa and the Middle East. Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is the most serious complication of RF.

Nutritional rehabilitation for children with congenital heart disease with left to right shunt.

El-Koofy N, Mahmoud AM, Fattaouh AM. Nutritional rehabilitation for children with congenital heart disease with left to right shunt. Turk J Pediatr 2017; 59: 442-451.

Assessment of Left Ventricular Volume and Function Using Real-Time 3D Echocardiography versus Angiocardiography in Children with Tetralogy of Fallot.

Background: Evaluation of left ventricular (LV) size and function is one of the important reasons for performing echocardiography. Real time three dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) is now available for a precise non-invasive ventricular volumetry. Aim of work was to validate RT3DE as a non-invasive cardiac imaging method for measurement of LV volumes using cardiac angiography as the reference technique.

The prevalence of congenital heart defects in infants with cholestatic disorders of infancy: a single-centre study.

Background: There is deficiency of data about congenital heart defects (CHDs) in cholestatic disorders of infancy other than Alagille syndrome (AGS). We aimed to define the prevalence and types of CHDs in infants with various causes of cholestatic disorders of infancy.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 139 infants presenting with cholestasis whether surgical or non-surgical.

Evaluation of cardiac functions of cirrhotic children using serum brain natriuretic peptide and tissue Doppler imaging.

Background: Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM) is described as the presence of cardiac dysfunction in cirrhotic patients. In children with chronic liver disease, CCM has been very rarely investigated.

The Aim Of The Study: Is to evaluate the cardiac function of cirrhotic children to identify those with CCM.

Acute lower respiratory tract infection due to respiratory syncytial virus in a group of Egyptian children under 5 years of age.

Background And Aim: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the most important causes of acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRTI) in infants and young children. This study was conducted to describe the epidemiology of ALRTI associated with RSV among children ≤ 5 years old in Egypt.

Patients And Methods: We enrolled 427 children ≤ 5 years old diagnosed with ALRTI attending the outpatient clinic or Emergency Department (ED) of Children Hospital, Cairo University during a one- year period.

Diagnostic dilemma of cardiac syncope in pediatric patients.

Aims: Syncope is defined as temporary loss of consciousness and postural tone resulting from an abrupt transient decrease in cerebral blood flow. The present work aimed at determining how diagnostic tests are used in the evaluation of pediatric syncope at a tertiary pediatric referral center and to report on the utility and the yield of these tests.

Settings And Design: Retrospective study conducted at a tertiary referral arrhythmolology service

Methods And Material: The clinical charts of 234 pediatric patients presenting with a primary complaint of syncope with an average age of 7.