Living with Congenital Aortic Stenosis: Exercise Restriction, Patterns of Adherence, and Quality of Life.

Modern consensus panel guidelines recommend restriction from most organized sports for patients with moderate or severe aortic stenosis (AS). However, there is little published data on how frequently physicians deviate from guidelines, how well patients adhere to exercise restrictions, or the effect of restriction on patient-reported quality of life. In this study, we surveyed 93 subjects with AS and their cardiologists regarding participation in organized sports, physical activity, weightlifting, and exercise restriction.

Cardiovascular impact of the pediatric obesity epidemic: higher left ventricular mass is related to higher body mass index.

Objective: To compare secular changes in body mass index (BMI) and left ventricular mass (LVM) in today's children versus children of a generation earlier.

Study Design: All healthy patients aged 2 to 19 years who underwent echocardiography at a single US academic medical center in 1986 to 1989 (prior era) and 2008 (current era) were included in this retrospective cross-sectional study. BMI, BMI z score, LVM indexed to height (LVMI), LVM z score, and relative wall thickness were calculated.

Use of Amplatzer occlusion devices to occlude Fontan baffle leaks during fenestration closure procedures.

The authors describe the use of Amplatzer occlusion devices to successfully occlude Fontan baffle leaks in three patients. These additional right to left shunts were recognized at the time of elective transcatheter closure of surgically created fenestrations. A common site of baffle leak is described at the base of the right atrial appendage.