[Chest pain in children: a practical approach].

Chest pain presenting during childhood is a common cause of admission to the emergency departments or to pediatric outpatient consultations. In most cases chest pain is idiopathic or secondary to musculoskeletal disorders, whereas a cardiac origin is confirmed in a minority (0.5-1%).

Long-term Outcomes of Pediatric-Onset Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Age-Specific Risk Factors for Lethal Arrhythmic Events.

Importance: Predictors of lethal arrhythmic events (LAEs) after a pediatric diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) are unresolved. Existing algorithms for risk stratification are limited to patients older than 16 years because of a lack of data on younger individuals.

Objective: To describe the long-term outcome of pediatric-onset HCM and identify age-specific arrhythmic risk factors.

[Heart transplant: when the candidate is a child].

Heart transplant (HT) has been considered as a therapy for pediatric end-stage heart failure (HF) for more than four decades. Children with HF represent a very heterogeneous population, affected by different congenital or acquired heart diseases. Progresses in cardiac surgery and medical therapies, leading to improved prognosis, require periodic re-assessment of indications to HT.

Determinants and Regression Equations for the Calculation of z Scores of Left Ventricular Tissue Doppler Longitudinal Indexes in a Healthy Italian Pediatric Population.

Aim. We investigated the predictors of tissue Doppler left ventricular (LV) longitudinal indexes in a healthy Italian pediatric population and established normative data and regression equations for the calculation of z scores. Methods and Results.

Clinical outcome, valve dysfunction, and progressive aortic dilation in a pediatric population with isolated bicuspid aortic valve.

The aim of this study was to explore the medium-term clinical outcome and the risk of progression of aortic valve disease and aortic dilation in pediatric patients with isolated bicuspid aortic valve (BAV). 179 pediatric patients with isolated BAV were prospectively followed from January 1995 to December 2010. Patients with severe valve dysfunction at baseline were excluded.