[Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Similar to adults, children with CKD experience a high burden of traditional and uremia-associated risk factors. Recent years, several studies were published in connection with cardiovascular risk factors, patomechanism, and early markers of cardiovascular diseases. Early signs of cardiomyopathy, such as left ventricular hypertrophy or dysfunction, and markers of atherosclerosis, such as increased intima-media thickness of the carotid artery or increased wall stiffness of the aorta are frequently present in early stages of CKD in children. As prevention is important in pediatrics, the evaluation of subtle changes of the cardiovascular system provide opportunity for early treatment and that enables children to develop normally and have a better long-term quality of life. Recently, newer non-invasive cardiovascular imaging modalities have been emerged to diagnose subclinical alterations of the heart and vessels in this specific population with kidney disease. In this review, we provide an overwiev of the emerging imaging techniques used to detect early subclinical organ damage in pediatric chronic kidney disease patients.]

[INTRODUCTION - CD4+/CD25+high suppressor and IL-10 producing CD4+ regulatory T (IL-10 Treg) cells were investigated in the peripheral blood of 48 patients with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD). Seventeen patients were in active and 31 patients in inactive state. PATIENTS AND METHODS - Measurement of the number of CD4+CD25+high suppressor and IL-10 Treg cells was carried out by flow cytometry. RESULTS - The absolute number and percent of CD4+CD25+high T cells decreased in MCTD patients compared to the healthy controls. The number of CD4+CD25+high Treg cells was lower in 17 active MCTD patients than in the inactive patients. The percent and absolute number of IL-10 Treg was elevated in the peripheral blood of patients with MCTD compared to the healthy controls. Corticosteroid and immunosuppressive drugs moved the number of regulatory T cells (CD4+CD25+high and IL-10 Treg cells) towards the normal value. CONCLUSIONS - Our results show that the decrease in the number of CD4+CD25+high T cells could play a key role in the immunoregulatory disturbance in MCTD. Elevation in the number of IL-10 Treg cells might be a compensatory mechanism to retain the balance of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines.]

[Without treatment, infective endocarditis (IE) is a fatal disease and in spite of contemporary diagnostic and therapeutic tools its prognosis is still poor. The most important first step is the early rise of clinical suspicion which should be confirmed by the new clinical criteria. Echocardiography is a major criterium: transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is superior to transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) both in the diagnosis and in the detection of complications of infective endocarditis. Complications can be valvular (embolism, valvular dysfunction) or perivalvular (abscess, pseudoaneurysm formation) with hemodynamic consequences. TEE is recommended as the first line diagnostic technique (mostly in prosthetic valve infective endocarditis) or as a second study following negative TTE or positive TTE with high clinical risk factors or to define embolic risk. In addition to classical surgical indications, early ”preventive” indications are emphasized which can decrease the still high operative mortality. Improvement of outcome in infective endocarditis can only be expected with agressive management meaning early suspicion, early TEE and early operation.]

[INTRODUCTION - Large hiatal hernias may result in cardiac space-occupying lesions. Our case study discusses the clinical aspects and the possible diagnostic approaches for such large hiatal hernias that cause cardiac compression. CASE REPORT - In an elderly patient with no cardiovascular symptoms, transthoracic echocardiography revealed a left atrial space-occupying mass. The diagnosis regarding the origin of the cardial mass was clarified by a glass of soda water drunk by the patient during echocardiography, as it resulted in a decrease in the inhomogenous echodensity of the mass and the appearance of “contrast bubbles” within it. This phenomenon suggested the presence of a large hiatal hernia compressing the heart, which was confirmed by gastroscopy and upper gastrointestinal barium examination. CONCLUSION - Drinking soda water during transthoracic echocardiography can help to diagnose lesions that look like intracardial tumours.]

[INTRODUCTION - The functional and morphological changes of oesophagus occur in two third of mixed connective tissue disease patients according to the literature. CASE REPORT - We report three cases of 27, 39 and 48 year old women suffering of lateral pharyngoesophageal, epibronchial and epiphrenic diverticula associated with connective tissue disease. Diverticula had an average diameter of 3.8 cm (maximal diameters: 7.2-8 cm). The esophageal pouches produced dysphagia, dystonia, motility disorders, food stagnation and vomiting, retrosternal burning sensation and tachyarrythmia after 5-16 month's latency period. In one patient pneumoesophagus also evolved. The high serum enzyme levels and proximal electromyogram proved the presence of polymyositis. CONCLUSION - The localization, number and the size of esophageal diverticula are determined by the interstitial myopathy.]