Cardiac complications in children with Kawasaki disease in our own experience.

Background: Kawasaki disease is the most common cause of acquired heart disease in children in developed countries. The incidence of Kawasaki disease varies from 180 in Japan through 20 in United States to 5-8 in the European countries per 100,000 children younger than 5 years of age.

Aim: To evaluate cardiac complications in children hospitalised with Kawasaki disease.

Transcatheter closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defect using an Amplatzer occluder--early results.

Background: Transcatheter closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defect with the use of an Amplatzer occluder was introduced in 1999, however, clinical experience with this method remains limited.

Aim: To assess short-term safety and efficacy of this technique in children.

Methods: Since 2001, nine children underwent transcatheter closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defect in the cardiac centre in Bratislava (Slovak Republic) or in our centre.

Echocardiographic parameters of left ventricular systolic and diastolic function in infants, children and adolescents before and after surgical correction of secundum atrial septal defect.

Background: Left ventricular (LV) dysfunction has been described in adults with secundum atrial septal defect (ASD II) and heart failure (CHF). This anomaly has been rarely regarded as a cause of CHF in pediatric patients with ASD II.

Aim: To assess LV systolic and diastolic function in patients with ASD II before and after cardiosurgery as well as to establish the prognostic value of these parameters in infants, children and adolescents with ASD II.