Evaluation of left ventricular function and myocardial deformation in children with beta-thalassemia major by real-time three-dimensional (four-dimensional) and speckle tracking echocardiography.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the role of real-time three-dimensional (four-dimensional) and speckle tracking echocardiography for early detection of left ventricular systolic dysfunction and also for the relationship between myocardial deformation parameters and myocardial iron load which is measured by cardiac magnetic resonance relaxation time T2* values in asymptomatic children with beta-thalassemia major.

Material And Methods: This multicenter cross-sectional study included 40 patients (mean age 15.4 ± 2.

Clinical features and outcomes of 76 patients with COVID-19-related multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children.

Objectives: Multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a less understood and a rare complication of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Given the scarce data regarding this novel disease, we aimed to describe the clinical features and outcomes of our patients with MIS-C and to evaluate the associated factors for the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission.

Methods: The MIS-C patients under 18 years old diagnosed and treated in three referral centers between July 2020 and March 2021 were included.

Systolic and Diastolic Cardiac Functions in Juvenile Spondyloarthropathies.

Background/objective: Juvenile spondyloarthropathies (JSpAs) are a group of inflammatory diseases characterized by asymmetric peripheral arthritis (especially in lower extremities), axial skeleton involvement, and enthesitis. Although cardiovascular findings of inflammatory diseases such as juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and juvenile scleroderma (SD) are well documented, there are only a few studies assessing the cardiovascular consequences of JSpA in the literature.

Methods: Forty patients with JSpA and 20 healthy controls were included into this cross-sectional study.

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis as a cause of gastrointestinal tract bleeding and protein-losing enteropathy.

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is an inflammatory disease characterized by pathologic eosinophilic infiltration of any portion of the gastrointestinal tract. Depending on the involved site and layer of eosinophilic infiltration, symptoms and signs are heterogeneous. This manuscript reports two patients who presented with acute upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding and protein-losing enteropathy signs, and were diagnosed as having eosinophilic gastroenteritis.

Unexpected increase of aortic stiffness in juvenile Spondyloarthropathies.

Juvenile spondyloarthropathy is an umbrella term for a group of childhood rheumatic diseases that can cause chronic arthritis extending to the axial skeleton before the age of 16. Although ankylosing spondylitis has aortic involvement as one of its most important effects, this relationship has not been extensively studied in children with juvenile spondyloarthropathy. Here, a cross-sectional study of the elastic properties of the aorta of 43 patients with juvenile spondyloarthropathy and 19 healthy controls is reported.