Sleep disordered breathing and its relation to stroke and pulmonary hypertension in children with sickle cell disease: a single-center cross-sectional study.

Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) is a common underdiagnosed sequela of sickle cell disease (SCD) that has been linked to the frequency of vaso-occlusive crises. To determine the frequency of SDB in children with SCD and its association to SCD-related complications, thirty children and adolescents with SCD at their steady state underwent clinical, laboratory, and radiological assessment using transcranial duplex (TCD) and echo assessment of tricuspid regurge velocity (TRV). All participants had an overnight polysomnography after completing the modified STOP-Bang questionnaire.

Predictors of transient left ventricular dysfunction following transcatheter patent ductus arteriosus closure in pediatric age.

Objectives: To evaluate the left ventricular function before and after transcatheter percutaneous patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) closure, and to identify the predictors of myocardial dysfunction post-PDA closure if present.

Interventions: Transcatheter PDA closure; conventional, Doppler, and tissue Doppler imaging; and speckle tracking echocardiography.

Outcome Measures: To determine the feasibility and reliability of tissue Doppler and myocardial deformation imaging for evaluating myocardial function in children undergoing transcatheter PDA closure.