Effect of QT interval-prolonging drugs taken in pregnancy on the neonatal QT interval.

Acquired QT interval prolongations due to drug side effects can result in detrimental arrhythmia. Maternal use of placenta-permeable drugs may lead to fetal exposure, thus leading to an increased risk of neonatal QT prolongation and arrhythmia. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of maternal QT-prolonging medication on the neonatal QT interval.

Coronary Artery Z-scores in Febrile Children with Suspected Kawasaki's Disease-The Value of Serial Echocardiography.

Background: Progressive enlargement of the coronary artery (CA) diameters on serial echocardiography can support diagnosis of Kawasaki's disease (KD) even CA dimensions are within the normal range.

Methods: A single-center, retrospective study compared mean Z-scores of the proximal CA internal diameters in children hospitalized with non-KD febrile illnesses (FCs) with those of KD patients.

Results: A total of 223 patients with suspicion of KD have been admitted over a period of 16 years and data were evaluable for 176 children.

Coronary artery z score values in adolescent elite male soccer players.

Background: With the increased training loads at very early ages in European elite youth soccer, there is an interest to analyse coronary artery remodelling due to high-intensity exercise.

Design And Methods: Prospective echocardiographic study in 259 adolescent elite male soccer players and 48 matched controls.

Results: The mean age was 12.

Value of serial echocardiography in diagnosing Kawasaki's disease.

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute vasculitis predominantly affecting the small arteries of young children. Up to 25% of untreated patients suffer from coronary artery (CA) complications. Early diagnosis and treatment is mandatory in incomplete KD to reduce the risk of coronary involvement.

Z-score values of left ventricular dimensions in adolescent elite male soccer players.

Recent studies showed contrasting findings in morphological changes due to competitive soccer in adolescent players (SP). We present a prospective study in 315 consecutive adolescent (10-14 years) male elite SP and 53 healthy matched active controls (CON). All participants underwent a complete transthoracic two-dimensional echocardiography (TTE).

Thyroidal response following iodine excess for cardiac catheterisation and intervention in early infancy.

Background: Cardiac catheterisation requiring the use of contrast medium is increasingly utilised in infants with congenital heart disease. Thyroid function in infants is potentially vulnerable to relatively high doses of iodine.

Methods: Single-centre prospective study of 21 patients (10 neonates, 11 infants) exposed to iodine during cardiac catheterisation.

High-dose flecainide with low-dose β-blocker therapy in catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia: A case report and review of the literature.

Background: Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) is characterized by recurrent syncopes and sudden cardiac death triggered by sympathetic activation in young individuals without structural heart disease and a normal baseline electrocardiogram. There is reason to question whether the current expert consensus treatment recommendation, tolerated β-blockade alone or in combination with low-dose flecainide, is the antiarrhythmic treatment strategy in CPVT, as high doses of β-blockers may eventually lead to adverse side effects and β-blocker discontinuation. Indeed, β-blocker non-compliance accounts for around 5% of sudden cardiac deaths in CPVT patients.

Surgical thrombectomy of two left ventricular thrombi in a child with acute myocarditis.

Myocarditis is a potentially life-threatening disease. Although ventricular thrombus formation in myocarditis is rare, it carries the risk of serious complications. We report on a 10-year-old previously healthy girl presenting with 2 large left ventricular thrombi in acute lymphocytic acute myocarditis.

Follow-up of a child with congenital chloride diarrhoea caused by a novel mutation.

Unlabelled: Congenital chloride diarrhoea (CLD) is a rare autosomal recessive disease with chronic secretory diarrhoea and a need for lifelong salt replacement therapy. We describe a male newborn of consanguineous parents with CLD. Postnatally, frequent watery diarrhoea and electrolyte disturbances were noted from the day 8 of his life.