title: Mid-term assessment of cardiac autonomic functions in children with transposition of the great arteries after arterial switch operation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It has been documented that impaired heart rate variability (HRV) is related to life threatening arrhythmias in children with surgically repaired congenital heart disease. We aimed to analyze the balance of the cardiac autonomic functions by assessing HRV in children with arterial switch operation (ASO).
  
  
  METHODS
  In this observational cohort study, HRV analysis using 24-h Holter electrocardiography recordings was examined in 22 patients (mean age: 59.5±38.7 months, 18 male, 4 female) who had undergone ASO during the newborn period and 22 healthy children (mean age: 65.1±39.4 months, 18 male, 4 female). After Kolmogorov-Smirnov testing for normality, Student t-test and Mann-Whitney U test were used when appropriate. Chi-square was used for categorical data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 24-h HRV analysis showed that SDANN and VLF were significantly higher in patient group. Awake SDNN, rMSSD, pNN50, TP and VLF levels of patient group were significantly higher than those of control subjects. Awake LF/HF ratio in patient group was significantly higher than their counterpart in asleep group. In the patient group, awake rMSSD, pNN50, TP, LF and HF were significantly lower than their counterpart in the asleep group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children with transposition of the great arteries (TGA) following ASO have not decreased levels of time and frequency HRV parameters in the mid-term follow-up period. All HRV parameters reflecting vagal tone were increased in the patient group. It is suggested that vagal tone is more predominant than sympathetic tone for children with ASO.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Pediatric Cardiology, İzmir Dr. Behçet Uz Children's Hospital; İzmir-Turkey. doksozonder@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Önder
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Doksöz
authors.forename: Taliha
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Öner
authors.forename: Barış
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Güven
authors.forename: Utku
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Karaarslan
authors.forename: Rahmi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Özdemir
authors.forename: Yılmaz
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yozgat
authors.forename: Timur
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Meşe
authors.forename: Vedide
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tavlı
authors.forename: Faik Fevzi
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Okur
authors.forename: Emin Alp
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Alayunt
mesh_terms: D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004562:Electrocardiography; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011184:Postoperative Period; D014188:Transposition of Great Vessels / Q000601:surgery*