Incidence and clinical characteristics of acute rheumatic fever in Turkey: Results of a nationwide multicentre study.

Aim: To evaluate the incidence and clinical features of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) in Turkey, following the revised Jones criteria in 2015.

Methods: This multicentre study was designed by the Acquired Heart Diseases Working Group of the Turkish Pediatric Cardiology and Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Association in 2016. The data during the first attack of 1103 ARF patients were collected from the paediatric cardiologists between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2016.

Serum Nickel and Titanium Levels after Transcatheter Closure of Atrial Septal Defects with Amplatzer Septal Occluder.

Introduction: There is a concern about release of nickel and titanium after implantation of nitinol-containing devices.

Objective: To evaluate serum nickel and titanium release after implantation of Amplatzer occluder.

Materials And Methods: In 38 pediatric patients with no history of nickel sensitivity, blood samples were drawn 24 hours before and 24 hours, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after implantation.

Combined effect of aerosolized iloprost and oxygen on assessment of pulmonary vasoreactivity in children with pulmonary hypertension.

Objective: The evaluation of pulmonary vascular reactivity plays a significant role in the management of patients with pulmonary hypertension. Inhaled nitric oxide in combination with oxygen (O2) has become widely used as an agent for pulmonary vasodilator testing. However, inhaled nitric oxide is not available in many developing countries.

Subclinical diastolic dysfunction in children with Wilson's disease assessed by tissue Doppler echocardiography: a possible early predictor of cardiac involvement.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions and cardiac rhythm problems for the early detection of myocardial dysfunction in children with Wilson's disease.

Methods: We compared patients who had Wilson's disease (n = 22) witl Wilson's disease was based on clinical symptoms and laboratory tests (serum ce cardiographic examination, as well as pulsed-wave Doppler, tissue Doppler ech Holter monitoring was also performed in all subjects.

Results: All patients were asymptomatic on cardiological examination an tion, fractional shortening, wall thickness and left ventricular mass were similar disease had significantly lower mitral E velocity, mitral E/A ratio (P= 0.

Evaluation by N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide concentrations and ross scoring of the efficacy of digoxin in the treatment of heart failure secondary to congenital heart disease with left-to-right shunts.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of digoxin in children with heart failure secondary to left-to-right shunt lesions and normal left ventricular systolic function. The study registered 37 such patients (ages 10 days to 24 months, groups 1 and 2) and used 20 healthy children as a control group (group 3). Left ventricular systolic function, as assessed by conventional echocardiography, was normal in all the subjects.

Tissue Doppler, strain, and strain rate measurements assessed by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography in healthy newborns and infants.

Objectives: To evaluate cardiac maturational and haemodynamic alteration in healthy newborns and infants and determine reference values in this period using tissue Doppler, strain, and strain rate echocardiography.

Material And Methods: The study included 149 healthy subjects. Babies from 1 day to 3 months were selected from the well-baby nursery department, and infants were selected from paediatric clinics during routine visits for health maintenance.

Association of cardiac changes with serum adiponectin and resistin levels in obese and overweight children.

Objectives: To investigate serum adiponectin and resistin levels in childhood obesity and their relationship with cardiac changes and insulin resistance.

Methods: Seventy-one obese and 24 overweight children and 40 healthy children and adolescents were selected for the study. Height and weight measurements, BMI values and BMI SD score values were obtained for each individual.

Presence of a D8/17 B lymphocyte marker and HLA-DR subgroups in patients with rheumatic heart disease.

Objective: The aim of our study was to investigate the association of HLA antigens and a non-HLA protein D8/17 with rheumatic heart disease and its pattern of cardiac involvement.

Methods: This cross- sectional observational study included 35 children and 12 adult patients who have rheumatic heart disease and 35 healthy children and 12 healthy adult controls. After physical examination, all patients and control group members were evaluated with 2D and color-coded echocardiography.

Evaluation of the left ventricular function with tissue tracking and tissue Doppler echocardiography in pediatric malignancy survivors after anthracycline therapy.

Although the anthracyclines have gained widespread use in the treatment of childhood hematological malignancies and solid tumors, cardiotoxicity is the major limiting factor in the use of anthracyclines. The aim of this study was to assess the mitral annular displacement by tissue tracking in pediatric malignancy survivors who had been treated with anthracycline groups chemotheraphy and compare with the tissue Doppler and conventional two dimensional measurements and Doppler indices.In this study, 32 pediatric malignancy survivors and 22 healthy children were assessed with 2D, colour-coded echocardiography.

Is edema in minimal change disease of childhood really hypovolemic?

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to find out whether children with minimal change disease can be classified as hypervolemic by objective measures.

Methods: Eighteen children with minimal change disease diagnosed at our department between November 2005 and May 2007 were included in this study. All patients were newly diagnosed or relapsed but were steroid free for at least 6 months.

Prevalence and outcome of congenital heart disease in patients with neural tube defect.

A prospective clinical study was designed to establish the risk factors, the prevalence, and the progress of congenital heart defects in children with neural tube defects. Study included 90 children with a mean age of 13.5 +/- 30.

Brain MR spectroscopy in children with a history of rheumatic fever with a special emphasis on neuropsychiatric complications.

Purpose: To investigate whether there are metabolite changes in basal ganglia of children with complete healing of rheumatic fever (RF), history of Syndenham chorea (SC) and obsessive compulsive-tic disorder (OCTD) developed after RF when compared with healthy controls and each other.

Material And Methods: A total of 49 children with history of RF and 31 healthy controls were included into the study. All patients and control group underwent a detailed neuropsychiatric evaluation.

The protective effect of melatonin on adriamycin-induced acute cardiac injury.

Background: Cardiotoxicity is the main complication of adriamycin (ADR), which is a widely used chemotherapeutic agent.

Objective: To examine the potential cardioprotective effect of melatonin (MEL) on acute ADR cardiotoxicity in a rat model.

Methods: Cardioprotection was assessed on the basis of myocardial lipid peroxidation and ultrastructure.

Prevalence of tonsillar hypertrophy and associated oropharyngeal symptoms in primary school children in Denizli, Turkey.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence of tonsillar hypertrophy and associated oropharyngeal symptoms in primary school children.

Methods: The study was performed in two primary schools which were chosen randomly in Denizli. Size of the tonsils was evaluated and scored on a five-point scale and weights of children were measured.

Poststreptococcal reactive arthritis in children: is it really a different entity from rheumatic fever?

Poststreptococcal reactive arthritis (PSRA) is an acute, nonsuppurative arthritis following documented streptococcal infections. Although most authors accepted it as a different entity, the differences from acute rheumatic fever (ARF) are not clear. To document and compare the clinical and laboratory characteristics of PSRA and ARF, 24 patients with PSRA and 20 with ARF were enrolled in the study.

Systolic and diastolic function in children with chronic renal failure.

Background: Cardiovascular complications are the most frequent cause of death in patients with end-stage renal failure (ESRF). We aimed to investigate systolic and diastolic functions in children with ESRF.

Methods: Thirty-nine children with ESRF (17 on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), eight on hemodialysis and 14 on predialysis) were examined to assess systolic and diastolic functions by echocardiography and ultrasound Doppler.