Erratum to: Abnormal Myocardial Strain Indices in Children Receiving Anthracycline Chemotherapy.

Erratum to: Pediatr Cardiol DOI 10.1007/s00246-015-1203-8. The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake in the author’s group.

Abnormal Myocardial Strain Indices in Children Receiving Anthracycline Chemotherapy.

Anthracycline chemotherapy (AC) is associated with impaired left ventricular (LV) systolic function. LV ejection fraction (EF %) obtained by two-dimensional echocardiography is the current gold standard for detection and monitoring of LV systolic function. However, dependence on LVEF has been shown to be unreliable due to its inherent limitations.

Functional changes in pulmonary arterial endothelial cells associated with BMPR2 mutations.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a devastating disease characterized by abnormal remodeling of small, peripheral pulmonary arteries. Germline mutations in the bone morphogenetic protein receptor type 2 (BMPR2) gene are a major risk factor for developing PAH. At present, the correlation between the BMPR2 mutation and the patient's prognosis remains controversial despite several investigations.

Mutations in NEXN, a Z-disc gene, are associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), the most common inherited cardiac disorder, is characterized by increased ventricular wall thickness that cannot be explained by underlying conditions, cadiomyocyte hypertrophy and disarray, and increased myocardial fibrosis. In as many as 50% of HCM cases, the genetic cause remains unknown, suggesting that more genes may be involved. Nexilin, encoded by NEXN, is a cardiac Z-disc protein recently identified as a crucial protein that functions to protect cardiac Z-discs from forces generated within the sarcomere.

Differences in atrial electromechanical coupling and atrial volume in patients with idiopathic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

Objectives: The objective of the study was to evaluate the differences in atrial electromechanical coupling time and atrial volume between patients with idiopathic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and control subjects and to investigate the influencing factors of electromechanical coupling time.

Methods And Results: We studied 46 patients with idiopathic PAF (group IPAF) and 62 control subjects (group N). Doppler tissue imaging data were performed to assess atrial electromechanical coupling.

Enhanced left atrial reservoir, increased conduit, and weakened booster pump function in hypertensive patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) has an impact on left atrial (LA) function in hypertensive patients and, if so, to select clinical factors influencing this relationship. Sixty-four essential hypertensive patients with PAF (group EHf) and fifty-five patients without PAF (group EH) were enrolled. Using acoustic quantification, the maximal and minimum LA volume (LAVmax, LAVmin), the LA volume at the end of rapid emptying (EREV), and the LA volume at the onset of atrial emptying (OAEV) were measured.

Assessment of atrial electromechanical coupling and influential factors in nonrheumatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

Background: Sequential analysis of atrial electromechanical coupling (P-A) by Doppler tissue imaging (DTI) might provide important insight into the mechanisms of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF).

Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to evaluate P-A and the dispersion of P-A, and to analyze the influential factors of P-A.

Methods: One hundred and ten patients with PAF and 87 normal controls were enrolled.

Left and right atrial size and the occurrence predictors in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

The purpose of the present study is to evaluate left and right atrial volume in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) and to select the best clinical variables to predict the occurrence of PAF. 157 patients and 106 normal subjects were enrolled. In patients with PAF, right atrial volume and dimension were all significantly greater (P<0.