Transitions between care networks: a prospective study among older adults in the Netherlands.

As health impairment increases, older adults utilize care from different types of caregivers, but little is known about changes in the composition of care networks. We mapped the transitions between different care networks to gain insight into which people develop care networks that include informal, privately and publicly paid care. We used three waves (2012-2015-2018) of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam with 1413 Dutch community-dwelling adults, aged 64-100.

Three-year trajectories in functional limitations and cognitive decline among Dutch 75+ year olds, using nine-month intervals.

Background: Using longitudinal panel data, we aimed to identify three-year trajectories in cognitive and physical functioning among Dutch older adults, and the characteristics associated with these trajectories.

Methods: We used Group-based Trajectory Modelling with mortality jointly estimated to identify trajectories, using a scale composed of 6 Activities of Daily Living (ADL) as a measure of physical functioning, and the short mini mental status examination (sMMSE) or the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE) as a measure of cognitive functioning. Data came from 574 Dutch adults aged 75+, collected in five nine-month measurement waves (2015-2018) for the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam.

The Impending Dilemma of Electrocardiogram Screening in Athletic Children.

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) affects 2/100,000 young, active athletes per year of which 40% are less than 18 years old. In 2004, the International Olympic Committee accepted the Lausanne Recommendations, including a 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG), as a pre-participation screening tool for adult Olympic athletes. The debate on extending those recommendations to the pediatric population has recently begun.

Evaluation of prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease in a regional controlled case study.

Aims: This study evaluated the evolution of the prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease (CHD) between 2003 and 2008 and its repercussion for the CHD prevalence rate at birth in a well-defined population (Canton of Vaud, Switzerland).

Methods And Results: All 572 cases of CHD reported in the Eurocat Registry of Vaud-Switzerland between 1.5.

Perinatal arrhythmias.

Unlabelled: Cardiac arrhythmias are very frequent in fetuses and newborns. The prognosis depends on the nature of the arrhythmias but is most often either spontaneously benign or following short-term medication administration. A correct diagnosis is essential for both management and prognosis.

Aortic valve dysfunction and aortic dilation in adults with coarctation of the aorta.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of aortic valve dysfunction, aortic dilation, and aortic valve and ascending aortic intervention in adults with coarctation of the aorta (CoA).

Background: Aortic valve dysfunction and aortic dilation are rare among children and adolescents with CoA. With longer follow-up, adults may be more likely to have progressive disease.

Adaptable pulmonary artery band for late arterial switch procedure in transposition of the great arteries.

Background: In late-diagnosed transposition of the great arteries (TGA), the left ventricle (LV) involutes as it pumps against low resistance and needs retraining by applying a pulmonary artery band (PAB) in preparation for an arterial switch operation. We report our experience with a telemetrically adaptable band compared with classic banding.

Methods: Ten patients underwent retraining of the LV, 4 patients with an adaptable band and progressive weekly tightening of the band (group 1) and 6 patients with a traditional band (group 2).

Considerations for prenatal counselling of patients with cardiac rhabdomyomas based on their cardiac and neurologic outcomes.

Cardiac rhabdomyomas are benign cardiac tumours with few cardiac complications, but with a known association to tuberous sclerosis that affects the neurologic outcome of the patients. We have analysed the long-term cardiac and neurological outcomes of patients with cardiac rhabdomyomas in order to allow comprehensive prenatal counselling, basing our findings on the records of all patients seen prenatally and postnatally with an echocardiographic diagnosis of cardiac rhabdomyoma encountered from August, 1982, to September, 2007. We analysed factors such as the number and the location of the tumours to establish their association with a diagnosis of tuberous sclerosis, predicting the cardiac and neurologic outcomes for the patients.

Validation of two echocardiographic indexes to improve the diagnosis of complex coarctations.

Objectives: Coarctation of the aorta is one of the most common congenital heart defects. Its diagnosis may be difficult in the presence of a patent ductus arteriosus, of other complex defects or of a poor echocardiographic window. We sought to demonstrate that the carotid-subclavian artery index (CSA index) and the isthmus-descending aorta ratio (I/D ratio), two recently described echocardiographic indexes, are effective in detection of isolated and complex aortic coarctations in children younger and older than 3 months of age.

[Fetal arrhythmias: premature atrial contractions and supraventricular tachycardia].

Fetal arrhythmias form a complicating factor in 1-2% of all pregnancies and in 10% of those cases morbidity or even mortality is encountered. The most frequent occurring arrhythmias are premature atrial contractions (PAC). These are usually benign phenomena which resolve spontaneously, but require some follow-up to exclude the development of supraventricular tachycardias (SVT).

Neurological outcome in isolated congenital heart block and hydrops fetalis.

Objective: Isolated fetal heart block (HB), a condition associated with fetal hydrops, carries a high mortality rate and may result in neurodevelopmental sequelae. To the best of our knowledge, no data exist regarding the long-term outcome of such hydropic fetuses. We reviewed our experience with this condition to determine the neurodevelopmental outcome of prenatally diagnosed cases with isolated HB complicated by hydrops fetalis.

Right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction with the bovine jugular vein graft: 5 years' experience with 133 patients.

Background: We analyzed the results in two centers of using bovine jugular vein graft for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction.

Methods: From April 1999 to July 2005, 133 children with a median age of 30.9 months (range, 4 days to 19 years) underwent graft implantation.

Pathologic ventricular hypertrophy in the offspring of diabetic mothers: a retrospective study.

Aims: Diabetes in pregnant women is increasing and with that the complications in their offspring. We studied our population of diabetic mothers (2003-2005) for pathologic ventricular hypertrophy (PVH).

Methods And Results: In our retrospective study of all 87 diabetic pregnancies (92 neonates), 16 were type 1, 17 were type 2, and 54 were gestational diabetes (GD).

Sudden cardiac death in athletes: the Lausanne Recommendations.

Objectives: This study reports on sudden cardiac death (SCD) in sport in the literature and aims at achieving a generally acceptable preparticipation screening protocol (PPSP) endorsed by the consensus meeting of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Background: The sudden death of athletes under 35 years engaged in competitive sports is a well-known occurrence; the incidence is higher in athletes (approximately 2/100,000 per year) than in non-athletes (2.5 : 1), and the cause is cardiovascular in over 90%.

[3D and 4D imaging in fetal echocardiography].

Cardiac defects form the most frequently encountered group of congenital malformations (0.8%). Despite the improving ultrasonographic technology and the teaching of the investigators, the prenatal recognition of cardiac defects stays low (around 30%).

A noninvasive diagnostic tool to differentiate myocarditis from myocardial infarction: late gadolinium enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance.

Studies in adults have shown that late gadolinium enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance is a safe and noninvasive diagnostic tool which allows one to differentiate myocardial infarction from myocarditis. We believe that it may also be highly useful in the paediatric population for the same purpose.

[Univentricular hearts: long-term follow-up, complications and criteria for reintervention].

Univentricular hearts are complex and heterogeneous congenital heart defects. Treatment is surgical and comprises several palliative operations to permit long term survival in these patients. Late complications are frequent and need intensive treatments.

[Tetralogy of Fallot: after the successful surgical correction...].

Tetralogy of Fallot is the most frequent cyanotic congenital heart disease (1/10000 births). The first complete corrections have been done in the fifties, and we now have long-term follow-up studies, revealing the most frequent arrhythmias and anatomic substrates compromising the long-term survival of these patients. The purpose of this article is to review some of the long-term complications of these patients, who, even if they have been completely corrected, will never be cured.

Brugada syndrome in childhood: a potential fatal arrhythmia not always recognised by paediatricians. A case report and review of the literature.

We report on a youngster followed by his paediatrician from birth until 14 years of age for premature beats, most likely of ventricular origin. The sudden death of his sister provoked a re-assessment of his electrocardiograms (ECG), resulting in the diagnosis of Brugada syndrome and the subsequent implantation of a cardioverter defibrillator. This syndrome is a well known entity in adult cardiology, first described by Brugada and Brugada in 1992.

Transient non-autoimmune fetal heart block.

Objectives: Fetal heart block is a rare and irreversible condition associated with structural heart defects or maternal autoantibodies (SS-A/Ro and SS-B/La) resulting in permanent damage of the atrioventricular (AV) node. This is the first report of 4 cases with a transient fetal heart block in structurally normal hearts without maternal autoantibodies.

Methods: A report on 4 patients seen within a 14-year period at one center with fetal heart block without intracardiac abnormalities or maternal autoantibodies.