The association of the Mediterranean diet with heart failure risk in a Dutch population.

Background And Aims: It is still unclear whether a healthy diet can prevent heart failure (HF). Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet, reflected by modified Mediterranean Diet Scores (mMDS), and the incidence of HF in men and women.

Methods And Results: This observational study comprised 9316 men and 27,645 women from the EPIC-NL cohort free from cardiovascular disease at baseline.

Cardiac Valve Annulus Diameters in Extremely Preterm Infants: A Cross-Sectional Echocardiographic Study.

Background: With the increasing incidence of births of very preterm very-low-birth-weight infants, there is a demand for echocardiographic reference values of cardiac dimensions.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to provide reference values of cardiac valve annulus diameters in a cohort of extremely preterm very-low-birth-weight neonates and to correlate these with patient characteristics.

Methods: Valve diameters of 376 infants of < 32 weeks' gestation and with a birth weight of ≤2,000 g were measured using 2-dimensional echocardiography.

Long-term results of balloon angioplasty for native coarctation of the aorta in childhood in comparison with surgery.

Objectives: Coarctation of the aorta (CoA) can be treated either surgically or with balloon angioplasty (BA). Long-term follow-up for either treatment has been limited. Our objective was to compare long-term results of BA and surgery for treatment of native CoA in childhood.

Computational fluid dynamics in Fontan patients to evaluate power loss during simulated exercise.

Objective: Exercise intolerance is common in total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) patients. It has been suggested that power loss (Ploss) inside the TCPC plays a role in reduced exercise performance. Our objective is to establish the role of Ploss inside the TCPC during increased flow, simulating exercise in a patient-specific way.

Ventricular response to dobutamine stress relates to the change in peak oxygen uptake during the 5-year follow-up in young patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot.

Aims: To evaluate the additional value of dobutamine stress testing in patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) by relating stress imaging parameters at baseline to relevant parameters of clinical condition and right ventricular (RV) size during a serial follow-up.

Methods And Results: We prospectively included 27 patients (14 ± 4 years at baseline), who were studied twice with a 5-year interval. Patients underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging to assess RV systolic and diastolic function at rest and during dobutamine stress.