Neurologic and psycho-intellectual outcome related to structural brain imaging in adolescents and young adults after neonatal arterial switch operation for transposition of the great arteries.

Objective: We studied brain structure abnormalities in adolescents and young adults who had undergone the neonatal arterial switch operation for transposition of the great arteries and related them to the neurologic and psycho-intellectual outcomes.

Methods: In a prospective longitudinal study, 60 unselected adolescents and young adults who had undergone surgery with combined deep hypothermic circulatory arrest and low flow cardiopulmonary bypass were re-evaluated at a mean age of 16.9±1.

The use of moderate hypothermia during cardiac surgery is associated with repression of tumour necrosis factor-alpha via inhibition of activating protein-1: an experimental study.

Introduction: The use of moderate hypothermia during experimental cardiac surgery is associated with decreased expression of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha in myocardium and with myocardial protection. In order to identify the cellular mechanisms that lead to that repression, we investigated the effect of hypothermia during cardiac surgery on both main signalling pathways involved in systemic inflammation, namely the nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and activating protein-1 pathways.

Method: Twelve female pigs were randomly subjected to standardized cardiopulmonary bypass with moderate hypothermia or normothermia (temperature 28 degrees C and 37 degrees C, respectively; six pigs in each group).

Long-term neurodevelopmental outcome and exercise capacity after corrective surgery for tetralogy of Fallot or ventricular septal defect in infancy.

Background: The purpose of this prospective study was to assess whether neurodevelopmental status and exercise capacity of children 5 to 10 years after corrective surgery for tetralogy of Fallot or ventricular septal defect in infancy was different compared with normal children and influenced by the preoperative condition of hypoxemia or cardiac insufficiency.

Methods: Forty unselected children, 20 with tetralogy of Fallot and hypoxemia and 20 with ventricular septal defect and cardiac insufficiency, operated on with combined deep hypothermic circulatory arrest and low flow cardiopulmonary bypass at a mean age of 0.7 +/- 0.

Long-term results of cardiac and general health status in children after neonatal arterial switch operation.

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess cardiac and general health status 8 to 14 years after neonatal arterial switch operation for transposition of the great arteries.

Methods: Sixty unselected children with intact ventricular septum (78.3%) or ventricular septal defect (21.

Analysis of several hundred genetic polymorphisms may improve assessment of the individual genetic burden for coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: Single polymorphisms of different genes have been associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefit of analyzing multiple genetic polymorphisms as a compound unit to assess the individual genetic burden for CAD. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study population consisted of 100 case patients with, and 100 control patients without, angiographically proven CAD.

Survival in second primary malignancies of patients with head and neck cancer.

Second primary tumours occur frequently in patients with a history of head and neck malignancies. Delays in making an early and correct diagnosis can seriously affect the therapy management and survival. This was a retrospective study of 120 patients with a history of head and neck cancer, presenting with a second primary tumour.

Production of proinflammatory cytokines and myocardial dysfunction after arterial switch operation in neonates with transposition of the great arteries.

Objective: Neonates undergoing cardiac surgery have a systemic inflammatory reaction with release of proinflammatory cytokines, which could be responsible for myocardial dysfunction as a result of myocardial cell damage. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that the production of proinflammatory cytokines during cardiac surgery would be associated with myocardial dysfunction after the arterial switch operation in neonates.

Methods: A total of 63 neonates with transposition of the great arteries were operated on with combined deep hypothermic circulatory arrest and low-flow cardiopulmonary bypass at a median age of 7 days.

Moderate hypothermia during cardiopulmonary bypass increases intramyocardial synthesis of heat shock protein 72.

Objectives: This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that the myocardial protective effect of moderate hypothermia during cardiopulmonary bypass involves upward regulation of heat shock protein 72.

Methods: Sixteen young pigs were randomly assigned to a temperature regimen during standardized cardiopulmonary bypass of normothermia or moderate hypothermia (temperatures 37 degrees C and 28 degrees C, respectively, n = 8 per group). Myocardial probes were sequentially sampled from the right ventricle before and during bypass and 6 hours after bypass.

Long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes in school-aged children after neonatal arterial switch operation.

Objective: Neurodevelopmental status of children between 8 and 14 years of age after neonatal arterial switch operation for transposition of the great arteries has not previously been systematically evaluated.

Methods: Within a longitudinal study, 60 unselected children operated on as neonates with combined deep hypothermic circulatory arrest and low-flow cardiopulmonary bypass were reevaluated at the age of 7.9 to 14.