Elastic properties of the ascending aorta in healthy children and adolescents. Age-related reference values for aortic wall stiffness and distensibility obtained on M-mode echocardiography.

Background: Compliance of the aorta is important in maintaining normal cardiovascular physiology. Pathological conditions can induce changes in elastic properties, having profound effects on their prognosis. The aim of this study was to establish age-related reference values for distensibility and wall stiffness index of the ascending aorta.

The Munich Triathlon Heart Study: ventricular function, myocardial velocities, and two-dimensional strain in healthy children before and after endurance stress.

Intense exercise has been shown to have negative effects on systolic and diastolic ventricular function in adults. Very little is known about the normal reaction of the growing heart to endurance stress. For this study, 26 healthy children (18 males) with a mean age of 12.

Tricuspid valve surgery improves cardiac output and exercise performance in patients with Ebstein's anomaly.

Background: Clinical, hemodynamic and functional effects of tricuspid valve surgery in patients with Ebstein's anomaly are not well understood.

Methods: Sixteen patients (median age of 27.7 years) were examined before and eight months after surgery by means of echocardiography, cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) and cardiopulmonary exercise testing.

Characteristics of Doppler myocardial echocardiography in patients with tricuspid atresia after total cavopulmonary connection with preserved systolic ventricular function.

Background: Doppler myocardial echocardiography (DME) may be an excellent additional means of assessing determinants of systolic and diastolic ventricular function in patients with tricuspid atresia (TA) after total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC).

Methods And Results: Thirty-three patients with TA and normal systolic shortening/ejection fraction (M-mode) after TCPC were studied by DME at a median age of 7.6 years (range 1.