[Regional differences in the prevalence of congenital heart defects].

Prevalence of congenital heart diseases was studied prospectively in all 664,218 infants live born in Bohemia from 1977 to 1984. All children who died were autopsied and those suspected of having a heart disease were examined at the specialized center. In total, 664/100,000 infants were born with a heart defect, most of them in Prague (957,9/100,000) and in Central Bohemia (739.

[Pneumococcal infectious endocarditis in an infant (case report)].

In a 10-month-old infant with purulent pneumococcal meningitis without structural heart disease acute infectious endocarditis developed. Echocardiographic examination revealed vegetations on both cusps of the mitral valve. With regard to the age and critical condition of the infant, in the acute stage surgical removal of the vegetations, was not indicated.

Distribution of age at death in children with congenital heart disease who died before the age of 15.

In the 27 years from 1952 to 1979 (before the introduction of advanced cardiac surgery) all children in Central Bohemia (population 1.2 million) who died before the age of 15 were examined at necropsy. Period death rates at various ages were calculated in those with congenital heart disease.

Causes of death in neonates born with a heart malformation.

All deceased infants were autopsied in a territory with a population of 1 220 000 inhabitants and a mean of 17 410 live births a year. During a period of 25 years (which preceded the introduction of advanced neonatal cardiac surgery), 393 neonates (6% of all deceased neonates) had died in whom a congenital heart malformation was found at autopsy. 118 (30%) of deaths were due to noncardiac causes.

Distribution of congenital heart malformations in an autopsied child population.

All stillborn and all deceased children were autopsied during a 27-year period in a given territory with some 1,220,000 inhabitants. Of the 3969 stillborn children, 81 (2.1%) had a congenital heart malformation.

Congenital heart diseases at autopsy of still-born and deceased children in the Central Bohemian Region.

In 1952-1976 autopsy was performed of all 3 734 still-born and 12 809 deceased children in the Central Bohemian region. Congenital heart disease (CHD) was found in 1 067, i. e.

Muscle blood flow in children, measured by 133Xe clearance method.

Resting and maximal values of blood flow through limb muscles are higher in children than in adults; on the contrary, the time necessary for reaching maximal blood flow and the latter's duration are shorter. Simultaneous measurements in both upper or in both lower limbs, and in the right upper and right lower limbs, revealed no statistically significant differences among the values.

Differences in muscle blood flow in upper and lower extremities of patients after correction of coarctation of the aorta.

Using the method 133Xe clearance we investigated blood flow and calculated vascular resistances simultaneously in the muscles of the upper and lower extremities in 58 patients following successful surgical correction of aortic coarctation carried out at age 11.5 (+/- 2.9) years.

Changes in muscle blood flow and development of the arm following the Blalock-Taussig anastomosis.

Muscle blood flow was studied in 28 patients after Blalock-Taussig anastomosis using the radioactive xenon clearance method. Insignificant differences in blood flow between the arms were found at rest, but there was a highly significant lowering of the peak blood flow on the operated side. Peak blood flow values in the first years after the anastomosis were close to the values in obliterative artery disease.