Cardiology in the young
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Cardiology in the young · Feb 2015
Procollagen type III amino-terminal propeptide: a serum biomarker of left ventricular remodelling in paediatric dilated cardiomyopathy.
Procollagen type III amino-terminal propeptide is a collagen III cleavage product released in blood. The serum levels of this propeptide in adults with dilated cardiomyopathy are associated with cardiac remodelling and prognosis. The utility of procollagen type III amino-terminal propeptide as a biomarker in paediatric dilated cardiomyopathy is unknown. ⋯ Procollagen type III amino-terminal propeptide increases with left ventricular dilation and decreases with improvement in systolic function in paediatric dilated cardiomyopathy, indicating a role as a biomarker of cardiac remodelling in children. The diagnostic utility of procollagen type III amino-terminal propeptide to differentiate myocarditis from idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy warrants further investigation.
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Cardiology in the young · Feb 2015
Delayed extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in children after cardiac surgery: two-institution experience.
There are limited data on the outcomes of children receiving delayed (≥7 days) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation after cardiac surgery. The primary aim of this project is to identify the aetiology and outcomes of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in children receiving delayed (≥7 days) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation after cardiac surgery. ⋯ This study demonstrates that mortality outcomes are comparable among children receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation ≥7 days and <7 days after cardiac surgery. The proportion of patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation ≥7 days is small and the aetiology diverse.
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Cardiology in the young · Feb 2015
Croatian clinical epidemiological study (2008-2011): the use of standardised risk scores in paediatric congenital cardiac surgery for a case complexity selection and gradual progress of cardiosurgical model in developing countries.
By employing the widely used and accepted methodologies of case-mix complexity adjustment in congenital cardiac surgery, we tried to evaluate our performance and use the ABC scores for a case complexity selection that may have different outcomes in various centres. ⋯ The use of standardised risk scores allows selection of complex cardiac diseases, which may have very different outcomes in various centres. In our case, those with higher ABC scores were correctly identified and referred for treatment abroad. In this way, we allowed gradual progress of the cardiosurgical model in Croatia and maintained an enviably low mortality rate.