Morphological and functional cardiac alterations in children with congenital Zika syndrome and severe neurological deficits

by Imara Correia de Queiroz Barbosa, Luizabel de Paula Gomes, Israel Nilton de Almeida Feitosa, Lu ís Fábio Barbosa Botelho, Bruno Robalinho Cavalcanti Barbosa, Alex Barbosa, André Telis de Vilela Araújo, Marcelo Dantas Tavares de Melo, Adriana Suely de Oliveira Melo, Vera Maria Cury Salemi IntroductionZika virus infection during pregnancy causes fetal microcephaly and brain damage. Congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) is characterized by systemic involvement with diffuse muscle impairment, a high frequency of arthrogryposis, and microphthalmia. Cardiac impairment in CZS has rarely been evaluated. Our study assessed morphology and biventricular cardiac function in children with CZS and advanced neurological dysfunction. MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted on 52 children with CZS (Zika group; ZG) and 25 healthy children (control group; CG) in Paraiba, Brazil. Clinical evaluation, electrocardiogram (EKG), and transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) were performed on all children. Additionally, troponin I and natriuretic peptide type B (BNP) levels, the degree of cerebral palsy, and neuroimaging findings were assessed in the ZG group. ResultsThe median age of the study population was 5 years in both groups, and 40.4% (ZG) and 60% (CG) were female. The most prevalent electrocardiographic alteration was sinus arrhythmia in both the ZG (n = 9, 17.3%) and CG (n = 4, 16%). The morphological parameters adjusted for Z score were as follows: left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic diam...
Source: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases - Category: Tropical Medicine Authors: Source Type: research