Maturational and growth-related changes in left ventricular longitudinal strain and strain rate measured by two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography in healthy pediatric population.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate myocardial strain and strain rate (SR) by novel 2-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography in a large pediatric cohort (1) to establish their normal values and (2) to discern the influence of maturation and cardiac growth on them.

Methods: Echocardiograms of 284 consecutive subjects of a healthy pediatric cohort aged between birth and 18 years were analyzed by vector velocity imaging software to measure longitudinal systolic strain (epsilon) and systolic and diastolic SR in left ventricular septal and lateral segments. Regression analysis was performed to determine the effect of aging and cardiac growth on epsilon and SR.

Myocardial velocity, strain, and strain rate abnormalities in healthy obese children.

Childhood obesity is a major health care issue in the United States. This epidemic has important cardiovascular implications. Newer imaging modalities in obese adults have demonstrated abnormal systolic and diastolic cardiac function.

Cantu syndrome in a woman and her two daughters: Further confirmation of autosomal dominant inheritance and review of the cardiac manifestations.

Cantu syndrome, or hypertrichosis-osteodysplasia-cardiomegaly syndrome, is a rare disorder of unknown etiology, associated with hypertrichosis, characteristic facial features, skeletal abnormalities, cardiomegaly, and occasional pericardial effusions. Although autosomal recessive inheritance was originally proposed, a man with three affected children has been reported, making autosomal dominant inheritance likely. We report on a woman and her two daughters with Cantu syndrome, further confirming dominant inheritance.