Browsing by Author "Parezanovic, Vojislav (14325763000)"

Small terminal or interstitial deletions involving bands 4q34 and 4q35 have been described in several patients with a relatively mild phenotype such as mild to moderate intellectual disability and minor dysmorphic features. We present a boy born from unrelated parents with a de novo 4q34.1-q35.2 deletion and clinical features resembling 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported patient with 4q34-q35 deletion and phenotype resembling 22q11.2 deletion syndrome without fifth finger anomalies as a specific feature of 4q- syndrome. G-banding karyotyping disclosed the deletion, which was further delineated by microarray comparative genomic hybridization. Fluorescence in situ hybridization and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification analyses did not reveal rearrangements of 22q11.2 region. MLPA confirmed the deletion within the 4q35.2 region. Conclusion: Given the considerable clinical overlaps between the 22q11.2 deletion syndrome and clinical manifestation of the patient described in this study, we propose that region 4q34.1-q35.2 should be considered as another region associated with phenotype resembling 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. We also propose that distal 4q deletions should be considered in the evaluation of patients with phenotypic manifestations resembling 22q11.2 deletion syndrome in whom no 22q11.2 microdeletion was detected, even in the absence of distinctive fifth finger anomalies. Additionally, we underline the importance of applying array CGH that enables simultaneous genome-wide detection and delineation of copy number changes (e.g., deletions and duplications). © 2011 Springer-Verlag.

Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) represents one of the most common causes of myocardial ischemia in infants and if left untreated results in a high mortality rate. When ALCAPA coexists with other congenital malformations, particularly those associated with pulmonary hypertension, the initial presentation can be quite confusing and is often misinterpreted. We report an infant with ALCAPA associated with scimitar syndrome and aortic coarctation whose clinical course illustrates the complexities and difficulties of management with a successful outcome. © 2014 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Published by Elsevier Inc.

Background: The angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) enalapril is often administered to infants and young children with heart failure (HF) in various dosing regimens and formulations not adapted for their age. Methods: This prospective, two-center, open-label 8-week study evaluated an age-appropriate formulation of orodispersible minitablets (ODMTs) of enalapril (0.25 mg and 1 mg) in children aged 0 to 6 years with HF due to congenital heart disease. An age/weight-based dosing schedule was followed. Measures of echocardiographic parameters, blood pressure, heart rate, modified Ross score, and biochemistry were obtained over the 8-week period. The following two groups were assessed: ACEI-naïve and ACEI-pretreated patients. Results: In total, 53 children (age range of 0.05 to 4.8 years) were enrolled and 29 were ACEI-naïve. The average enalapril dose was 0.098 mg/kg (0.06–0.17 mg/kg) in the naïve group and 0.15 mg/kg (0.07–0.3 mg/kg) in pretreated patients. After 8 weeks, the modified Ross score and left ventricular diastolic dimension (LVD) z-score showed a significant decrease in both groups (p < 0.005). During 8 weeks follow-up, there were no difference in the z-scores for the systolic blood pressure (p = 0.071) or heart rate (p = 0.146). Conclusions: Pediatric patients treated with ODMTs of enalapril for 8 weeks had favorable improvements in LVD and HF symptoms. © 2024 by the authors.

Introduction/Objective Congenital heart diseases are the most common congenital anomalies. The objective of the study was to determine reliability, specificity, and sensitivity of fetal echocardiography in detection of congenital heart diseases in a referral center for fetal echocardiography. Methods We analyzed 14,500 fetal echocardiography exams (FEC) between 1991 and 2014, performed in two tertiary centers. Results The average maternal age at the time of diagnosis was 32 years. The mean gestational age at the time of diagnosis was 25.9 weeks. The most common indications for FEC were suspicious abnormal cardiac findings in obstetrical screening sonography (50.6%). Among 9,055 examined fetuses, pathological finding on the fetal heart was found in 638 cases. The most common congenital heart diseases were structural anomalies of the fetal heart in 81%, of which 13.3% were fetuses with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and 11.2% with ventricular septal defect. Of all fetuses with diagnosed congenital heart defect, 46.2% were born alive and had good postnatal prognosis, while 2.7% died in utero, and 10.6% died in the early neonatal period. Pregnancy was terminated in 40.4% of fetuses with severe congenital heart defect. Sensitivity of the diagnostic procedure in our study was 95.9%, and specificity was 99.9%. Conclusion Our study proves that FEC is a reliable, informative diagnostic tool in detecting congenital heart defects with high specificity and sensitivity. With multidisciplinary approach, it provides an optimal time window for improving perinatal outcome. © 2019, Serbia Medical Society. All rights reserved.

Rapid and efficient diagnostics is crucial for newborns with congenital heart defects (CHD) in intensive care unit (ICU) but is often challenging. Given that genetic factors play a role in 20–30% cases of CHD, it is likely that genetic tests could improve both its speed and efficiency. We aimed to analyze the utility of rapid and cost-effective multiplex ligation dependent probe amplification analysis (MLPA) for chromosomal analysis in newborns with critical CHD. One hundred consecutive newborns admitted with critical CHD to the ICU were included in the study. Those with normal MLPA findings were further tested by chromosomal microarray and clinical exome sequencing. Overall, pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants were determined in ten (10%) newborns by MLPA, three (3%) by chromosomal microarray, and three (3%) by clinical exome sequencing. The most common variant detected was deletion of 22q11.2 region. Conclusion: MLPA is fast and cost-effective analysis that could be used as the first-tier test in newborns with critical CHD admitted to the ICU.What is Known:• MLPA is an established method for chromosome analysis in patients with CHD, but detection rate in newborns with critical CHD is unknown.What is New:• Study suggests that detection rate of casual variants using MLPA in newborns with critical CHD is 10%. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

Background: Balloon valvuloplasty is the primary treatment for congenital aortic valve stenosis in our centre. We sought to determine independent predictors of reintervention (surgical repair or repeated balloon dilation) after primary valvuloplasty. Methods: We retrospectively studied patients with congenital aortic valve stenosis who underwent balloon valvuloplasty during 2004-2018. The following risk factors were analysed: aortic valve insufficiency after balloon valvuloplasty >+1/4, post-procedural gradient across the aortic valve ≥35 mmHg, pre-interventional gradient across the valve, annulus size, use of rapid pacing, and balloon/annulus ratio. Primary outcome was aortic valve reintervention. Results: In total, 99 patients (median age 4 years, range 1 day to 26 years) underwent balloon valvuloplasty for congenital aortic valve stenosis. After a mean follow-up of 4.0 years, 30% had reintervention. Adjusted risks for reintervention were significantly increased in patients with post-procedural aortic insufficiency grade >+1/4 and/or residual gradient ≥35 mmHg (HR 2.55, 95% CI 1.13-5.75, p = 0.024). Pre-interventional gradient, annulus size, rapid pacing, and balloon/annulus ratio were not associated with outcome. Conclusion: Post-procedural aortic valve insufficiency grade >+1/4 and/or residual gradient ≥35 mmHg in patients undergoing balloon valvuloplasty for congenital aortic valve stenosis confers an increased risk for reintervention in mid-term follow-up. © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press.

Malposition of the branch pulmonary arteries is a rare malformation with two forms. In the typical form, pulmonary arteries cross each other as they proceed to their respective lungs. The lesser form is characterised by the left pulmonary artery ostium lying directly superior to the ostium of the right pulmonary artery, without crossing of the branch pulmonary arteries. Malposition of the branch pulmonary arteries is often associated with other congenital heart defects and extracardiac anomalies, as well as with 22q11.2 microdeletion. We report three infants with crossed pulmonary arteries and one adolescent with lesser form of the malformation. The results suggest that diagnosis of malposition of the branch pulmonary arteries could be challenging if based solely on echocardiography, whereas modern imaging technologies such as contrast computed tomography and magnetic resonance angiography provide reliable establishment of diagnosis. In addition, we performed the first molecular characterisation of the 22q11.2 region among patients with malposition of the branch pulmonary arteries and revealed a 3-megabase deletion in two out of four patients. © 2012 Cambridge University Press.