Correlation between three-dimensional echocardiography and cardiopulmonary fitness in patients with univentricular heart: A cross-sectional multicentre prospective study.

Background: The prognosis of patients with a functional single ventricle has improved, with better cardiopulmonary fitness, health-related quality of life and survival. Conventional echocardiography remains the first-line technique in single ventricle follow-up. Three-dimensional (3D) echocardiography has shown recent value in congenital cardiology, but its ability to predict functional status in patients with a single ventricle remains unknown.

Pulmonary Atresia With Ventriculocoronary Arterial Connections and a Large Conoventricular Septal Defect.

Ventriculocoronary arterial connections are typically found in patients with pulmonary atresia with an intact ventricular septum. This report describes a case of ventriculocoronary arterial connections in a patient with pulmonary atresia with a ventricular septal defect. Our case supports recent data suggesting a primary coronary artery developmental anomaly in pulmonary atresia.

Phenotypic and genetic spectrum of alveolar capillary dysplasia: a retrospective cohort study.

Objective: Alveolar capillary dysplasia (ACD) is one of the causes of pulmonary hypertension. Its diagnosis is histological but new pathogenetic data have emerged. The aim of this study was to describe a French cohort of patients with ACD to improve the comprehension and the diagnosis of this pathology which is probably underdiagnosed.

Toward the integration of global longitudinal strain analysis in the assessment of neonatal aortic coarctation? A preliminary study.

Background: Coarctation of the aorta (CoA) is still challenging to diagnose in neonates with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). Speckle tracking echocardiography allows reliable analysis of myocardial deformation in newborns and seems to provide important insides into regional changes in patients with left ventricular (LV) outflow tract obstruction.

Aims: To assess the interest of LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) measurement for predicting CoA in neonates with PDA and prenatal suspicion.

Postoperative assessment of left ventricular function by two-dimensional strain (speckle tracking) after paediatric cardiac surgery.

Background: Left ventricular (LV) dysfunction may complicate paediatric cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass, notably after long aortic cross-clamping (ACC). Assessment of occult myocardial injury by conventional echocardiographic variables may be difficult in the postoperative period.

Aims: To evaluate the feasibility of two-dimensional (2D) strain in the postoperative period, and to assess the effect of ACC duration on this variable.

Single-centred experience with levosimendan in paediatric decompensated dilated cardiomyopathy.

Background: Children with dilated cardiomyopathy in advanced heart failure may spend a long time awaiting heart transplantation. Consequently, mechanical circulatory support is sometimes required as a bridge to transplantation. Levosimendan, a positive inotropic agent, has been reported to be safe and efficient for the treatment of paediatric heart failure.

Cardiogenic shock due to acute tramadol intoxication.

Tramadol is a common analgesic, widely prescribed because of its efficiency and safety. We report the case of a 7-year-old child admitted in cardiac intensive care unit for cardiogenic shock due to tramadol intoxication. Without any past history, the child was admitted at emergency room for generalised convulsion, followed by respiratory distress.