title: Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in pediatric patients with mitral valve regurgitation-case-control study and review of the literature.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effectiveness of chronic administration of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in pediatric patients with mitral valve regurgitation.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a case-control study of all echocardiograms of patients with moderate-to-severe mitral valve regurgitation, who underwent chronic administration of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors between January 1990 and December 2006 at a single center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Echocardiographic parameters (left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, left ventricular posterior wall diameter, interventricular septum diameter, left atrium to aortic root diameter ratio, grade of mitral valve regurgitation, shortening fraction) were analyzed before and during therapy with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in 12 patients and compared with 12 patients without medications after one month and one year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-four consecutive pediatric patients (median age of 7 years with a range 1 month-16 years) with moderate-to-severe mitral valve regurgitation were included. Data are given as standard deviation scores (z-scores) derived from body-surface-adjusted normal values. During angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition left ventricular end-diastolic diameter decreased from mean z-score 2.04 to 1.66 (after 1 month) and to 1.73 (after 1 year), while left ventricular posterior wall diameter decreased from 0.25 to 0.12 (after 1 year), respectively. Shortening fraction, interventricular septum diameter, grade of mitral valve regurgitation, and left atrium to aortic root diameter ratio remained stable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this case-control study of patients with moderate-to-severe mitral valve regurgitation effectiveness of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition on left ventricular dimensions and function after 1 month and 1 year is limited. Reviewing the literature, the lack of long-term follow-up studies with large patient cohorts and controversial study-results in adults require a prospective long-term multicenter follow-up study in pediatric patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Cardiology, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland. walter.knirsch@kispi.uzh.ch
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Knirsch
authors.forename: Lucie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tlach
authors.forename: Dominik
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stambach
authors.forename: Urs
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bauersfeld
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013557:Switzerland; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors