Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.20, Suppl.1, pp. 1-49, 2025

Abstract This article has no abstract. More >

Shun Maki^1,*, Satoshi Nakano¹, Taiki Haga², Takehiro Niitsu¹, Ikuya Ueta¹

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.20, No.5, pp. 547-558, 2025, DOI:10.32604/chd.2025.072277 - 30 November 2025

Abstract Background: Considering the limited evidence for acute postoperative nutritional therapy for congenital heart disease (CHD), this study evaluated the effects of achieving enteral nutrition (EN) targets in the acute postoperative phase on clinical outcomes in infants after congenital heart surgery. Methods: This retrospective cohort study, conducted in a multivalent pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), enrolled infants aged ≤6 months following congenital heart surgery between April 2021 and March 2023. Based on the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition guidelines, the EN target was defined as two-thirds of the resting energy expenditure with a protein intake… More >

Min Zeng¹, Fan Yang¹, Jie Huang², Zhongkai Liao², Sheng Liu³, Xu Wang^1,*

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.20, No.5, pp. 581-589, 2025, DOI:10.32604/chd.2025.070100 - 30 November 2025

Abstract Background: Psychosocial functioning and quality of life (QoL) are strongly associated with outcomes in pediatric heart transplant recipients. The data in pediatric transplantation, however, is limited. This study aims to investigate the associations of perioperative anxiety and depression with postoperative complications, sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Methods: This observational, analytical, longitudinal study included 42 pediatric participants aged 8 to 16 years old. Preoperative psychological assessments were completed by 36 children, the remaining 6 were unable to participate due to invasive ventilation, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), and physical debilitation. Postoperatively, all 42 subjects completed the psychosocial evaluations. Data… More >

Jun He¹, Jianli Luo¹, Yanling Wang^1,*, Dai Zhou^1,*, Shuanglin Xiang^2,*

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.20, No.5, pp. 613-623, 2025, DOI:10.32604/chd.2025.071773 - 30 November 2025

Abstract Pediatric congenital heart disease (CHD) pharmacotherapy faces three fundamental barriers: developmental pharmacokinetic complexity, anatomic-genetic heterogeneity, and evidence chain gaps. Traditional agents exhibit critical limitations: digoxin’s narrow therapeutic index (0.5–0.9 ng/mL) is exacerbated by ABCB1 mutations (toxicity risk increases 4.1-fold), furosemide efficacy declines by 35% in neonates due to NKCC2 immaturity, and β-blocker responses vary by CYP2D6 polymorphisms (poor metabolizers require 50–75% dose reduction). Novel strategies demonstrate transformative potential—CRISPR editing achieves 81% reversal of BMPR2-associated pulmonary vascular remodeling, metabolically matured cardiac organoids replicate adult myocardial energy metabolism for drug screening, and SGLT2 inhibitors activate triple mechanisms (calcium overload More >

Theano Makridou¹, Elena Vlastou², Vasilios Kouloulias³, Efstathios P. Efstathopoulos⁴, Kalliopi Platoni^4,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.12, pp. 3611-3632, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.069101 - 27 November 2025

Abstract Nanomedicine has evolved significantly over the last decades and expanded its applications in pediatric oncology, which represents a special domain with unique patients and distinct requirements. Τhe need for early cancer diagnosis and more effective and targeted therapies aiming to increase the pediatric patients’ survival rates and minimize the treatment-related side effects to survivors is profound. Nanoparticles (NPs) come as a beacon of hope to provide sensitive cancer diagnostic tools and assist contrast agents’ transport to the malignant tumors. Besides, NPs could be designed to deliver targeted drugs and genes to tumors, minimizing the medicine-related… More >

Antonio Ruggiero^1,2,*, Dario Talloa¹, Alberto Romano¹, Giorgio Attinà¹, Stefano Mastrangelo^1,2, Palma Maurizi^1,2, Tommaso Verdolotti³, Gianpiero Tamburrini^4,5, Silvia Chiesa⁶, Rina di Bonaventura⁷, Pier Paolo Mattogno⁷, Alessandro Olivi^7,8, Alessio Albanese^7,8

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.12, pp. 3855-3867, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.067948 - 27 November 2025

Abstract Background: Adult medulloblastoma (MB) represents less than 1% of central nervous system malignancies, lacking standardized therapeutic approaches due to its rarity. This retrospective single-center analysis aimed to assess survival outcomes and treatment-associated toxicities in adult MB patients managed with pediatric-derived protocols. Methods: Eighteen patients (≥18 years) with MB treated at Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) (January 1997–January 2024) were analyzed. All received craniospinal radiotherapy with posterior fossa boost, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy utilizing pediatric regimens (PNET3, PNET4, PNET5, or high-risk protocols incorporating high-dose chemotherapy with autologous… More >

Ahmed Ahmed¹, Bilal Farhan², Amr Alam-Eldin¹, Maged Amin Helmy¹, Mohammed Mostafa Hussein¹, Zakieldahshoury Mohamed¹, Hassaan A. Gad¹, Suraj Nayan Vodnala^3,*

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.32, No.5, pp. 483-490, 2025, DOI:10.32604/cju.2025.067228 - 30 October 2025

Abstract Background: As occurrence rates of pediatric ureteral stones have increased, evaluation of optimal treatment modalities has become imperative. This study’s primary goal is to compare outcomes between dusting and fragmentation techniques using Holmium:YAG (Ho:YAG) laser lithotripsy in children with ureteral stones. Methods: A prospective randomized study was conducted at Aswan University Hospitals from June 2023 to December 2024. One hundred children, under the age of 18, with single, mid- or distal, ureteral stones (5–20 mm) were randomized into two groups. Group A received laser dusting (0.2–0.6 J, 20–40 Hz), while Group B received fragmentation (0.8–1.5… More >

Rosa Scarpitta^1,#, Emiliano Cappello^1,#, Alice Cangialosi¹, Veronica Gori¹, Giulia De Luca^1,2, Giovanni Gori³, Guido Bocci^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.10, pp. 2603-2656, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.066260 - 26 September 2025

Abstract Central nervous system (CNS) tumors are the most common solid tumors in pediatric patients and the leading cause of childhood cancer-related mortality. Their rarity compared to adult cancers has made enrolling sufficient cases for clinical trials challenging. Consequently, pediatric CNS tumors were long treated with adult protocols despite distinct biological and clinical characteristics. This review examines key aspects of phase I pediatric oncology trials, including study design, primary outcomes, and pharmacological approaches, along with secondary considerations like clinical responses and ethical aspects. Firstly, we evaluated all phase I trial protocols focusing on pediatric CNS tumors… More > Graphic Abstract

Hande İştar^1,#,*, Buğra Harmandar¹, Melike Korkmaz Toker², Fulden Cantaş Türkiş³

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.20, No.4, pp. 503-517, 2025, DOI:10.32604/chd.2025.068540 - 18 September 2025

Abstract Background: The neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a simple, cost-effective marker of systemic inflammation. This study aims to evaluate the association between perioperative NLR and postoperative outcomes in pediatric patients undergoing congenital heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 70 patients under 18 years of age who underwent surgery between 2018 and 2023. NLR was measured preoperatively and on postoperative days (POD) 0, 1, 2, 3, and 6. Receiver operating characteristic analysis identified optimal cutoffs, and associations with postoperative outcomes were assessed. Results: The preoperative NLR cutoff of 1.14 (AUC = 0.75) was associated with More >

Yifan Li^1,#, Xu Huang^2,#, Bingyu Ma³, Ling Sun¹, Shushui Wang¹, Zhiwei Zhang¹, Yumei Xie^1,*

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.20, No.4, pp. 463-475, 2025, DOI:10.32604/chd.2025.068286 - 18 September 2025

Abstract Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate long-term efficacy and safety of percutaneous stent implantation for residual pulmonary artery stenosis (PAS) in pediatric patients after surgical repair of complicated congenital heart diseases (CHDs). Methods: All pediatric patients diagnosed with residual PAS after surgical repair of complicated CHDs between 1996 and 2020 were retrospectively enrolled in the study. Results: A total of 41 patients (30 males, 11 females; median age 5.0 years, median weight 17 kg) were followed-up for a median of 7.1 years. Follow-up echocardiography results demonstrated that the target vessel diameter increased from… More >