Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Interpreting Measurements Of Cardiac Function Using Vendor-Independent Speckle Tracking Echocardiography In Children: A Prospective, Blinded Comparison With Catheter-Derived Measurements., Suma Goudar, G Hamilton Baker, Shahryar M. Chowdhury, Kimberly J. Reid, Girish S. Shirali, Mark A. Scheurer

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Adult studies demonstrate that echocardiographic measurements of cardiac function using speckle tracking correlate with invasive measurements, but such data in the pediatric population are sparse. Our aim was to compare speckle-derived measures of cardiac function to measurements routinely obtained by cardiac catheterization in children.

METHODS: Echocardiograms were performed on the day of cardiac catheterization. Using Tomtec 2D Cardiac Performance Analysis, longitudinal strain (LS), longitudinal strain rate (LSR), early diastolic LSR, and ejection fraction (EF) for the right and left ventricle (RV and LV) were calculated via speckle tracking. Global LS and LSR were calculated for the LV. These results …

Assessment Of Diastolic Function In Single-Ventricle Patients After The Fontan Procedure., Renee Margossian, Lynn A. Sleeper, Gail D. Pearson, Piers C. Barker, Luc Mertens, Michael D. Quartermain, Jason T. Su, Girish S. Shirali, Shan Chen, Steven D. Colan, Pediatric Heart Network Investigators

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Patients with functional single ventricles after the Fontan procedure have abnormal cardiac mechanics. The aims of this study were to determine factors that influence diastolic function and to describe associations of diastolic function with current clinical status.

METHODS: Echocardiograms were obtained as part of the Pediatric Heart Network Fontan Cross-Sectional Study. Diastolic function grade (DFG) was assessed as normal (grade 0), impaired relaxation (grade 1), pseudonymization (grade 2), or restrictive (grade 3). Studies were also classified dichotomously (restrictive pattern present or absent). Relationships between DFG and pre-Fontan variables (e.g., ventricular morphology, age at Fontan, history of volume-unloading surgery) and …

Parental Refusal Of Surgery In An Infant With Tricuspid Atresia., Alexander A. Kon, Angira Patel, Steven Leuthner, John Lantos

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

We present a case of a fetal diagnosis of tricuspid atresia (TA). The pregnant woman and her husband requested that the baby be treated with only palliative care. The cardiologist did not think it would be appropriate to withhold life-prolonging surgery once the infant was born. The neonatologist argued that outcomes for TA are similar to those for hypoplastic left heart syndrome, and the standard practice at the institution was to allow parents to choose surgery or end-of-life care for those infants. The team requested an ethics consultation to assist in determining whether forgoing life-prolonging interventions in this case would …

The Supply And Demand Of The Cardiovascular Workforce: Striking The Right Balance., Akhil Narang, Shashank S. Sinha, Bharath Rajagopalan, Nkechinyere N. Ijioma, Natalie Jayaram, Aaron P. Kithcart, Varsha K. Tanguturi, Michael W. Cullen

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

As the burden of cardiovascular disease in the United States continues to increase, uncertainty remains on how well-equipped the cardiovascular workforce is to meet the challenges that lie ahead. In a time when health care is rapidly shifting, numerous factors affect the supply and demand of the cardiovascular workforce. This Council Commentary critically examines several factors that influence the cardiovascular workforce. These include current workforce demographics and projections, evolving health care and practice environments, and the increasing burden of cardiovascular disease. Finally, we propose 3 strategies to optimize the workforce. These focus on cardiovascular disease prevention, the effective utilization of …

Rationale And Design Of The Children's Oncology Group (Cog) Study Alte1621: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial To Determine If Low-Dose Carvedilol Can Prevent Anthracycline-Related Left Ventricular Remodeling In Childhood Cancer Survivors At High Risk For Developing Heart Failure., Saro H. Armenian, Melissa M. Hudson, Ming Hui Chen, Steven D. Colan, Lanie Lindenfeld, George Mills, Aida Siyahian, Sarah Gelehrter, Ha Dang, Wendy Hein, Daniel M M. Green, Leslie L. Robison, F Lennie Wong, Pamela S. Douglas, Smita Bhatia

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Background: Anthracyclines are widely used in the treatment of childhood cancer. One of the well-recognized side-effects of anthracycline therapy is dose-dependent cardiomyopathy that may progress to heart failure (HF) years after completion of cancer-directed therapy. This study will evaluate the efficacy of low-dose beta-blocker (carvedilol) for HF risk reduction in childhood cancer survivors at highest risk for HF. The proposed intervention has the potential to significantly reduce chronic cardiac injury via interruption of neurohormonal systems responsible for left ventricular (LV) remodeling, resulting in improved cardiac function and decreased risk of HF. The intervention is informed by previous studies demonstrating efficacy …

Pediatric Statin Administration: Navigating A Frontier With Limited Data., Jonathan B. Wagner, Susan M. Abdel-Rahman

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Increasingly, children and adolescents with dyslipidemia qualify for pharmacologic intervention. As they are for adults, 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) are the mainstay of pediatric dyslipidemia treatment when lifestyle modifications have failed. Despite the overall success of these drugs, the magnitude of variability in dose-exposure-response profiles contributes to adverse events and treatment failure. In children, the cause of treatment failures remains unclear. This review describes the updated guidelines for screening and management of pediatric dyslipidemia and statin disposition pathway to assist the provider in recognizing scenarios where alterations in dosage may be warranted to meet patients' specific needs.

Validation Of Noninvasive Measures Of Left Ventricular Mechanics In Children: A Simultaneous Echocardiographic And Conductance Catheterization Study., Shahryar M. Chowdhury, Ryan J. Butts, Carolyn L. Taylor, Varsha M. Bandisode, Karen S. Chessa, Anthony M. Hlavacek, Girish S. Shirali, G Hamilton Baker

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: The accuracy of echocardiography in evaluating left ventricular contractility has not been validated in children. The objective of this study was to compare echocardiographic measures of contractility with those derived from pressure-volume loop (PVL) analysis in children.

METHODS: Patients with relatively normal loading conditions undergoing routine left heart catheterization were prospectively enrolled. PVLs were obtained via conductance catheters. The gold-standard measure of contractility, end-systolic elastance (Ees), was obtained via balloon occlusion of one or both vena cavae. Echocardiograms were performed immediately after PVL analysis under the same anesthetic conditions. Single-beat estimations of echocardiographic Ees were calculated using four different …

Asymptomatic Left Ventricular Myxoma In A 12-Year-Old Male., Meghan Chlebowski, James O'Brien, Casey Hertzenberg, Jonathan B. Wagner

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Cardiac myxoma is the most common cardiac tumor in patients of all ages; the majority are encountered as single left atrial tumors. Left ventricular myxomas are exceedingly rare, having been recorded in a small number of case reports involving children worldwide. We report a case of a left ventricular myxoma with left ventricular outflow tract obstruction in a previously healthy, asymptomatic adolescent black male. Transthoracic echocardiograms revealed a single, large (2.5 × 5-cm), lobulated, mobile mass within the left ventricular cavity that oscillated into the outflow tract, thereby causing moderate obstruction during systole. Advanced images delineated the location and tissue …

Harnessing Teams And Technology To Improve Outcomes In Infants With Single Ventricle., Girish S. Shirali, Lori A. Erickson, Johnathan Apperson, Kathy Goggin, David D. Williams, Kimberly J. Reid, Andrea Bradley-Ewing, Dawn Tucker, Michael Bingler, John Spertus, Leslie Rabbitt, Richard Stroup

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Infants with single ventricle require staged cardiac surgery, with stage I typically performed shortly after birth, stage II at 4 to 6 months of age, and stage III at 3 to 5 years of age. There is a high risk of interstage mortality and morbidity after infants are discharged from the hospital between stages I and II. Traditional home monitoring requires caregivers to record measurements of weight and oxygen saturation into a binder and requires families to assume a surveillance role. We have developed a tablet PC-based solution that provides secure and nearly instantaneous transfer of patient information to a …