title: Endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis in children with irreversible pulmonary hypertension due to congenital heart disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess endothelial dysfunction and the risk for coronary atherosclerosis in children with irreversible pulmonary hypertension due to congenital heart disease (CHD).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 18 cyanotic patients (the mean age was 12.28 ± 3.26 years) who developed irreversible pulmonary hypertension due to cyanotic and acyanotic CHDs, and 18 control patients (the mean age was 11.78 ± 3.00 years). Study groups were compared for flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) and atherosclerotic risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to the control group, the mean FMD was significantly reduced in the cyanotic group (5.26 ± 2.42% and 9.48 ± 2.60%, respectively; P-value < 0.001). No significant difference was observed between the groups in CIMT (0.41 ± 0.08 mm and 0.39 ± 0.06 mm, respectively; P-value = 0.299). The levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and very low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol were statistically significantly lower compared tothe control group (P-value = 0.001, 0.006 and 0.014, respectively), whereas no statistically significant difference was found in the levels of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and triglycerides (P-value = 0.113 and 0.975, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Systemic endothelial dysfunction in children with irreversible pulmonary hypertension due to CHD was noted but there was no increased risk for atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciftel
authors.forename: Ayse
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Simşek
authors.forename: Ozlem
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Turan
authors.forename: Firat
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kardelen
authors.forename: Gayaz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Akçurin
authors.forename: Halil
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ertuğ
keywords: Childhood; congenital heart disease; flow-mediated dilatation; pulmonary hypertension