Segmental and global longitudinal strain differences between Kawasaki disease and multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children.

Background: Multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children and Kawasaki disease have overlapping clinical features but comparative echocardiographic studies are lacking.

Methods: We reviewed echocardiography findings of all multi-system inflammatory syndrome cases between 1st April and 31st July, 2020 and typical Kawasaki disease patients with coronary arteries abnormalities consecutively followed between 1st October, 2016 and June 30th, 2019.

Results: We included 40 multi-system inflammatory syndrome children (25 males, 62.

Echocardiographic Normal Reference Ranges for Non-invasive Myocardial Work Parameters in Pediatric Age: Results From an International Multi-Center Study.

Aims: This international multi-center study aimed to demonstrate the feasibility and reliability of non-invasive myocardial work (MW) parameters in the pediatric population, and to provide normal reference ranges for this useful echocardiographic tool in this specific subset of patients.

Methods And Results: In this retrospective multi-center study involving three pediatric laboratories, 150 healthy children and adolescents (mean age of 10.6 ± 4.

Abnormal myocardial work in children with Kawasaki disease.

Kawasaki disease (KD) can be associated with high morbidity and mortality due to coronary artery aneurysms formation and myocardial dysfunction. Aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of non-invasive myocardial work in predicting subtle myocardial abnormalities in Kawasaki disease (KD) children with coronary dilatation (CADL). A total of 100 patients (age 8.

Echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance in children with repaired tetralogy of Fallot: New insights in cardiac mechanics and exercise capacity.

Background: Pulmonary regurgitation (PR) and right ventricular (RV) dilatation and disfunction are common in patients with repaired Tetralogy of Fallot (r-TOF).

Aims: To compare Echo data with the gold standard CMR in a paediatric population of r-TOF with significant PR, to assess the reliability of standard and advanced echo parameters. In addition, to evaluate their correlation with peak oxygen consumption (VO).

Serial changes in longitudinal strain are associated with outcome in children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

Introduction: Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) has high mortality and morbidity and systemic right ventricle (RV) dysfunction may play a key-role. Study aim is to evaluate the accuracy of speckle-tracking echocardiographic (STE) assessment of RV deformation and 2D standard echo parameters in predicting outcome in HLHS patients.

Methods: We studied 27 HLHS patients (17 male) who successfully completed Norwood palliation.

Pure Aortic Regurgitation in Pediatric Patients.

Aortic regurgitation (AR) continues to be an important cause of morbidity and mortality in pediatric patients. Although echocardiographic parameters are well established for the adults, there are no clear cut-off values for AR severity in children. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is considered a "gold standard" for a quantitative evaluation of the AR, but it is not widely available.

Left Atrial Strain to Identify Diastolic Dysfunction in Children with Cardiomyopathies.

Background: Left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction (DD) carries worse prognosis in childhood. 2-dimensional (2-D) left atrial (LA) strain accurately categorizes DD in adults but its role in children is unknown. Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate whether LA strain and strain rate could diagnose and classify DD in children with dilated (CMD), hypertrophic (HCM) and restrictive (RCM) cardiomyopathies (CM).

Left Ventricular Twist Mechanics to Identify Left Ventricular Noncompaction in Childhood.

Background: Left ventricular noncompaction cardiomyopathy (LVNC) is associated with poor clinical outcome in childhood. Standard diagnostic criteria are still controversial, especially in young patients. Recent studies in adults demonstrated that left ventricular (LV) twist is abnormal in LVNC, but it has not been investigated in pediatric patients to date.

Prognostic value of echocardiographic parameters in pediatric patients with Ebstein's anomaly.

Background: Accurate risk stratification of patients with Ebstein's anomaly (EA) is crucial. Aim of the study was to assess the prognostic value of echocardiography, including 2D speckle tracking (STE) derived myocardial deformation indices, for predicting outcome in pediatric and young adult unrepaired EA patients.

Methods: Fifty consecutive EA patients (1 day-18 years, 52% males) underwent echocardiography and were followed for a mean follow-up of 60 ± 41 months for clinical outcome (ventricular tachyarrhythmia, heart failure, need for surgery and/or death).

Total isovolumic time relates to exercise capacity in patients with transposition of the great arteries late after atrial switch procedures.

Background: Systemic right ventricular systolic dysfunction is common late after atrial switch surgery for transposition of the great arteries. Total isovolumic time is the time that the ventricle is neither ejecting nor filling and is calculated without relying on geometric assumptions. We assessed resting total isovolumic time in this population and its relationship to exercise capacity.

Geometry of the left ventricular outflow tract in fixed subaortic stenosis and intact ventricular septum: an echocardiographic study in children and adults.

Objective: We compared the echocardiographic geometry of the preoperative and postoperative left ventricular outflow tract in children and adults with isolated fixed subaortic stenosis with age- and weight-matched controls to elucidate whether the geometry can be modified when surgical intervention is performed at a younger age.

Methods: The mitral-aortic valve distance, aortic valve diameter, aorto-left ventricular septal angle, degree of aortic valve dextroposition, aortic valve-subaortic stenosis distance, width of left ventricular outflow tract, left ventricle wall thickness, and septal thickness were determined preoperatively and postoperatively in 21 patients and 21 controls. The measurements were indexed to body surface area.