This study aimed to evaluate the presenting symptoms, the effectiveness of imaging methods, and the surgical treatment of vascular rings. Data for 44 patients (32 enrolled prospectively, 12 reviewed retrospectively) over a 10-year period in a tertiary referral center were analyzed. These patients comprised 25 patients with a left aortic arch and an aberrant right subclavian artery, 13 patients with a right aortic arch and a left subclavian artery originating from Kommerell’s diverticulum, 1 patient with a right aortic arch and an aberrant left subclavian artery, 3 patients with a double aortic arch, and 2 patients with a pulmonary sling. Respiratory symptoms were found in 25 patients and dysphagia in 6 patients. Atypical symptoms such as reflex apnea, cyanosis, syncope episodes, and exercise-induced wheezing were noted in five patients. Associated congenital heart defects were detected in 41% of the patients. The diagnostic yield was 95.23% for barium esophagography, 54.54% for echocardiography, and 66.66% for computed tomography. The anatomy could be correctly identified by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 97.43% and by angiography in 90.5% of the patients. Of the 30 patients who underwent surgery, 80% were completely relieved of symptoms during a mean follow-up period of 25 ± 33.5 months. Vascular rings should not be overlooked in infants with atypical symptoms. The authors’ diagnostic procedure of choice is MRI because it is superior to angiography for delineating the relationship between abnormal vascular structures, trachea, and esophagus.

Chest pain in adolescents is rarely associated with cardiac disease. Adolescents with medically unexplained chest pain usually have high levels of anxiety and depression. Psychological stress may trigger non-cardiac chest pain. This study evaluated risk factors that particularly characterise adolescence, such as major stressful events, in a clinical population. The present study was conducted on 100 adolescents with non-cardiac chest pain and 76 control subjects. Stressful life events were assessed by interviewing patients using a 36-item checklist, along with the Children's Depression Inventory and Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for children, in both groups. Certain stressful life events, suicidal thoughts, depression, and anxiety were more commonly observed in adolescents with non-cardiac chest pain compared with the control group. Moreover, binary logistic regression analysis showed that trouble with bullies, school-related problems, and depression may trigger non-cardiac chest pain in adolescents. Non-cardiac chest pain on the surface may point to the underlying psychosocial health problems such as depression, suicidal ideas, or important life events such as academic difficulties or trouble with bullies. The need for a psychosocial evaluation that includes assessment of negative life events and a better management have been discussed in light of the results.

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The aim of this study is to detect preeclampsia-related cardiac dysfunction within 24-48 hours of delivery in newborns born from preeclamptic mothers. Forty newborns from mildly preeclamptic mothers formed the study group and the control group was formed by 40 healthy newborns. Cardiac function for the groups were evaluated using conventional echocardiography and myocardial performance index (MPI) within the first 24-48 hours of their lifetime and the results of both groups were compared. A significant difference between the groups was observed especially in the PW Doppler MPI measurements (the left ventricle MPI 0.37 ± 0.09 and 0.26 ± 0.11, p < .001; the right ventricle MPI 0.29 ± 0.08 and 0.26 ± 0.07, p < .035) for the control group and the study group. Elongation in the left and right ventricle MPI was detected to be more significant in terms of comparing systolic and diastolic functions to determine preeclampsia-related cardiac injury in newborns from preeclamptic mothers within the first 24-48 hours of their lifetime. Impact statement Today, the methods which may detect cardiac injury earlier than conventional echocardiographic methods are used for evaluating cardiac functions. Among them, myocardial performance index (MPI) measurement with PW Doppler is the most common ones. While studies are available in the literature evaluating foetal cardiac functions with MPI in foetuses of preeclamptic women, studies evaluating cardiac functions with MPI index within the first 24-48 hours in postnatal period are not available. This is the first study to detect cardiac injury by measuring cardiac functions of the newborns of preeclamptic babies using conventional echocardiography (EF, SF, mitral and tricuspid E/A) and myocardial performance index within the first 24-48 hours of life and compare these values with those of a control group composed of healthy newborns with similar demographic characteristics. According to the results of the study, elongation in right and left ventricle MPI was detected to be more significant compared to systolic and diastolic functions for determining preeclampsia-related cardiac injury in newborns of preeclamptic mothers within 24-48 hours of delivery. Ventricle functions of the newborns of preeclamptic mothers should also be evaluated with MPI measurement besides conventional echocardiographic measurements.

MM, Meşe T. The role of cardiac troponin T in detection of cardiac damage and long term mortality in children with chronic renal disease.