Kawasaki syndrome. Clinical report of 5 cases]

The paper reports five cases of Kawasaki's syndrome diagnosed during the period 1985-89. The mean age of patients was 20 months (4/12; 4 years and 5/12). Symptomatology gradually regressed in four of these patients with a return to good health and normal cardiological controls. The fifth patient died suddenly following a cardiorespiratory failure when his general conditions were showing a marked improvement. Given that cardiac involvement is reported to be the sole cause of death in Kawasaki's syndrome, this was probably the cause of the patient's death. This event together with the presence of a number of barely symptomatic forms, which certainly escape correct diagnosis, may explain some of the cases of sudden death in early childhood. In the present case the child died suddenly due to an early stage of heart failure on awakening and may be considered a classic example of "cot death". Although the treatment protocol is well defined, it is not yet known to what extent the cardio-vascular apparatus is influenced by therapy in cases of children with Kawasaki's syndrome.     

Fatal neonatal cardiomyopathy associated with cataract and mitochondrial myopathy

Three patients suffering from the neonatal form of a syndrome characterized by congenital cataract, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and mitochondrial myopathy are described. The patients died at 7, 10 and 18 days, respectively from cardiorespiratory failure. Mitochondrial abnormalities were observed in the heart and skeletal muscle. Despite the presence of a severe lactic acidaemia pointing to a disturbed pyruvate oxidation rate in vivo, a normal pyruvate oxidation rate was demonstrated in skeletal muscle homogenates. The activities of several enzymes of the mitochondrial respiratory chain appeared to be normal, indicating an intact respiratory chain. A myoglobinopenia could be excluded. The activities of some mitochondrial enzymes and the concentration of myoglobin increase with age.Abbreviations ATP adenosine triphosphate - CrP creatine phosphate     

Importance of Totally Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Connection and Postoperative Pulmonary Vein Stenosis in Outcomes of Heterotaxy Syndrome

Historically, outcomes of patients with heterotaxy syndrome and congenital heart disease have been poor. Published series include patients treated over many decades or focus on specific patient/operative subgroups. This study was performed to evaluate midterm outcomes and determine anatomic risk factors for death in patients with all types of heterotaxy syndrome treated after 1985. We reviewed all infants with heterotaxy born between 1985 and 1997, presenting to one institution at <6 months age, followed for ≥5 years. Of 102 study patients (46 with asplenia phenotype, 56 with polysplenia phenotype), 48 (47%) died at a median age of 0.6 months, 12 without intervention. Survivors were followed for a median of 12.8 years (5–21.7 years). Independent predictors of mortality included obstructed totally anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) (OR, 7.8; 95% CI, 1.9–32.9; p = 0.005), mild or greater atrioventricular (AV) valve regurgitation at presentation (OR, 3.5; 95% CI, 1.0–12.1; p = 0.03), and common AV canal (OR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.1–8.5; p = 0.03). Sixteen patients developed pulmonary vein stenosis at a median age of 2 months, with 5 (31%) alive at follow-up. In patients with TAPVC, the mean indexed sum of pulmonary vein diameters was lower among patients who died than in survivors (42.3 ± 8.3 vs 49.5 ± 10.1 mm/m²; p = 0.02). Mortality remains high among patients with heterotaxy treated in the modern surgical era, particularly those with obstructed TAPVC. Pulmonary vein stenosis is common after repair of TAPVC in patients with heterotaxy, may be diagnosed beyond infancy, and is associated with poor outcomes.     

Mortality and causes of death in children referred to a tertiary epilepsy center

BackgroundPatients with epilepsy, including children, have an increased mortality rate when compared to the general population. Only few studies on causes of mortality in childhood epilepsy exist and pediatric SUDEP rate is under continuous discussion.AimTo describe general mortality, incidence of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), causes of death and age distribution in a pediatric epilepsy patient population.MethodsThe study retrospectively examined the mortality and causes of death in 1974 patients with childhood-onset epilepsy at a tertiary epilepsy center in Denmark over a period of 9 years. Cases of death were identified through their unique civil registration number. Information from death certificates, autopsy reports and medical notes were collected.Results2.2% (n = 43) of the patient cohort died during the study period. This includes 9 patients with SUDEP (8 SUDEP cases per 10,000 patient years). 9 patients died in the course of neurodegenerative disease and 28 children died of various causes. Epilepsy was considered drug resistant in more than 95% of the deceased patients, 90% were diagnosed with intellectual disability. Mortality of patients that underwent dietary epilepsy treatment was slightly higher than in the general cohort. There were no epilepsy-related deaths due to drowning.ConclusionsThis study confirms that SUDEP must not be disregarded in the pediatric age group. The vast majority of SUDEP cases in this study displays numerous risk factors similar to those described in adult epilepsy patients. Including SUDEP, only 30% of the mortality was directly seizure related.     

Mild form of Hunter's syndrome: clinical delineation based on 31 cases.

The clinical features are described in 31 cases of the mild form of Hunter''s syndrome (mucopolysaccharidosis II) ascertained in the British Isles. The mean age at onset was 4.3 years and at death was 21.7 years. Each patient had a large head and short stature. Umbilical and inguinal herniae were recorded in 95% and 61% of the cases. Evidence of cardiac disease was found in 91%; this was the most common cause of death. All of the patients suffered from frequent upper or lower respiratory tract infection. Middle airways obstruction proved to be a particular hazard. A high incidence of sensorineural deafness and unexplained papilloedema was noted. The importance of regular health care for these individuals is stressed.     

个体化手术方案矫治儿童右室双出口的体会

目的 探讨儿童右室双出口(DORV)的外科治疗效果.方法 自1984年8月至2010年6月共手术治疗118例DORV,其中男62例,女56例,年龄10 d～12岁,平均(3.2±2.6)岁,体重3.0～22.5 kg,平均(9.6±3.7)kg.根据SIS-EACTS数据库分类:VSD型86例,TOF型22例,TGA型3例,VSD远离大动脉型7例.手术方法包括采用单纯心室内隧道修补21例,心室内隧道修补+右室流出道扩大补片84例,其中82例自体心包扩大补片,2例行同种带瓣外管道;Switch术4例,双向格林术6例,Fontan术1例,肺动脉环缩术1例,B-T分流术1例.回顾性分析DORV的手术方法和效果.结果 住院死亡9例,病死率7.6%,主要死亡原因为低心排综合症.2004年前手术51例,死亡7例(病死率13.7%),2005年后手术67例,死亡2例(病死率2.9%).存活病例随访2个月～10年,超声心动图检查未见左室流出道梗阻,1例患儿术后2年发现右室流出道残余梗阻,再次手术疏通右室流出道,余患儿效果良好,无晚期死亡病例.结论 根据DORV患儿的解剖特点和年龄,制订个体化的手术方案,有助于提高手术成功率.

Abstract：

Objective To summarize our experience of surgical treatment for double-outlet right ventricle (DORV) in children. Methods From August 1984 to June 2010, 118 patients with DORV underwent surgical repair at this center. Among the 118 patients, 62 were males and 56 were females.Their ages ranged from 10 days to 12 years old (mean age, 3. 2 ± 2. 6). Their weight ranged from 3. 0to 22. 5 kg (mean weight, 9. 6 ± 3. 7 kg). According to the STS-EACTS international nomenclature,86 patients were DORV associated with ventricular septal defect (VSD), 22 were DORV with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), 3 were DORV with transposition of the greater arteries (TGA), and 7 were DORV with remote VSD. Corrective surgeries included 22 interventricular repairs, 84 interventricular repairs plus right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction (pericardium was used for the reconstruction in 82 cases, and valved extracardiac conduits was used in 2 cases), 4 switch procedures, 6 bidirectional Glenn procedures, 1 Fontan procedure, 1 Pulmonary artery banding procedure, and 1 Blalock-Taussig Shunt procedure. The surgical safety and efficacy were studied by retrospectively analyzing the clinical data of the 118 cases. Results Nine patients died after surgery (7. 6%). The leading cause of death was low cardiac output syndrome. Of the 51 patients underwent corrective surgery before 2004,7 died after surgery (13. 7%). However, only 2 died in the 67 patients who had surgery after 2005(2. 9%). The patients were followed up for 2 months to 10 years. Cardiac ultrasonography didn't show any obstruction of left ventricular outflow tract, but 1 patient developed left ventricular outflow tract obstruction 2 years after surgery and received corrective surgery. No long-term death and other complications were noted. Conclusions Surgical strategy for the children with double-outlet right ventricle should be made based on patients individual anatomic anomalies.     

Unobstructive Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return: Impact of Early Elective Repair on the Need for Prolonged Mechanical Ventilatory Support

Optimal timing for elective repair of total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR) in the case of an unobstructed anomalous pathway is unclear. All infants with a diagnosis of TAPVR as an isolated lesion who underwent surgical repair at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin from 1991 to 2007 were reviewed to assess location of drainage, presence of obstruction, age at presentation, age at surgery, death, need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), length of hospital stay, length of mechanical ventilation (MV), and late pulmonary venous obstruction. A total of 65 patients were identified: 38 (59%) with supracardiac drainage, 10 (15%) with cardiac drainage, 11 (17%) with infracardiac drainage, and 6 (9%) with mixed drainage. For 39 (60%) of the 65 patients, obstruction was identified preoperatively. Three early and five late deaths occurred after surgery (12%), all involving patients with preoperative obstruction. Most of the late deaths (80%) involved patients who experienced recurrent obstruction. Of the 65 patients, 26 (40%) had no obstruction preoperatively, and none died, required ECMO support, or experienced late obstruction. For the 26 patients without obstruction, the timing of surgery was elective at the discretion of the supervising cardiologist. Among these 26 patients, 15 had surgery less than 10 days after presentation (median age, 18 days), and 53% of these 15 patients (8/15) had MV less than 5 days. In contrast, all 11 patients who had elective surgery more than 10 days after presentation (median age, 56 days) required MV for more than 5 days (p = 0.007). Isolated TAPVR appears to be at the highest risk for death and late postoperative obstruction when obstruction is present preoperatively. Patients with unobstructive TAPVR do very well, but potential morbidity related to prolonged MV appears to be significantly reduced by early elective surgery.     

A new case of severe congenital nemaline myopathy

The case of a neonate with a rapidly fatal course of nemaline myopathy is reported. Neonatal history and clinical findings suggested a postasphyxia syndrome, but dependence on mechanical ventilation in the absence of severe brain damage or evidence of heart and lung involvement prompted us to perform a muscle biopsy. The typical rod-shaped bodies of nemaline myopathy were observed in skeletal and heart muscle which is unusual in infantile forms. Neonatal bone fractures, which have not been reported previously, were detected. Due to the rapid evolution of the neonatal form, many of these patients may die undiagnosed in the perinatal period, the families remaining unaware of the existence of the genetic disorder. Therefore, if severe hypotonia persists in a neonate, together with dependence on assisted breathing, specific examinations, such as muscle enzyme determination, NCV, EMG and if indicated, muscle biopsy should be performed to rule out neuromuscular disease.     

Familial X-linked cardiomyopathy (Danon disease): diagnostic confirmation by mutation analysis of the LAMP2gene

A boy presented at age 2.5 years with mild left ventricular hypertrophy and mild myopathy. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy progressed relentlessly, leading to death at age 16 years shortly before planned heart transplantation. During the course of the disease, his mother developed severe dilated cardiomyopathy and died of its complications at 46 years of age. The combination of myopathy and cardiomyopathy, the biochemical and electron microscopy findings in a muscle biopsy, and the pedigree suggested Danon disease (MIM 300257), an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder caused by deficiency of lysosome-associated membrane protein-2 (LAMP2). The diagnosis was confirmed by the identification of a novel mutation, G138A, in the LAMP2gene, leading to the premature stop codon W46X. Conclusion:Early diagnosis of Danon disease is important for genetic counselling and timely cardiac transplantation, the only effective therapeutic option.     

Mortality in pediatric renal transplantation: A study of the French pediatric kidney database

Abstract: Objective and Methods: To assess patient survival in pediatric renal transplantation, we retrospectively reviewed 573 transplants in 553 patients, registered from 1995 to 2005. Results: Mean age at transplantation was 9.9 years. Patient survival at 1, 5 and 10 years was respectively 99%, 97% and 96%. Death occurred at a median time of 2.6 years after transplantation. Long‐term patient survival was significantly lower in recipients younger than 5 years old. Seventeen patients (3.1%) died. Two deaths occurred while under maintenance dialysis. Among the remaining patients, the two main causes of death were infections (33%) and malignancies (27%). Interestingly, initial disease‐related complications were a major cause of death (34%). Conclusion: A low mortality rate was observed, with the majority of deaths due to malignancies and infections, and with a notable participation of complications related to the initial disease. No impact of cardiovascular disease was noted with the given follow‐up period. Improvements in managing immunosuppression may contribute to reducing mortality in pediatric renal transplantation.     

Left-Ventricular Noncompaction in a Pediatric Population: Predictors of Survival

Left-ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) is an echocardiographic finding of increasing frequency in pediatrics; however, predictors of outcomes have been difficult to identify. We conducted a retrospective review of pediatric patients at the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York from January of 1993 to September of 2009 to identify predictors of the primary outcome of death or heart transplantation. LVNC was identified in 50 patients, 34 of them < 1 year of age. Death or transplantation occurred in 26 patients, with a median survival of 1.17 years after presentation. Patients surviving 1 year after presentation had 75% conditional survival, and patients surviving 2 years after presentation had 92% conditional survival. Hemodynamic instability, poor ventricular function, and LV dilatation were each independent predictors of poor outcome. Of the 21 patients who presented with hemodynamic instability, 17 died or underwent transplantation at a median of 0.08 years after presentation. In conclusion, LVNC is recognized more in younger patients; however, age is not a predictor of outcome. Patients who present with hemodynamic instability and poor ventricular function have decreased transplant-free survival, and most poor outcomes occur within the first year after presentation. Therefore, early listing for transplant may lead to better outcomes in this population.     

Gasping and other cardiorespiratory patterns during sudden infant deaths

To gain information on the cardiorespiratory changes occurring immediately before sudden infant death (SID), recordings of heart rate and chest wall impedance were analyzed in nine infants who had died at a median age of 4.8 mo (range 1-6 mo) while attached to a memory monitor. Postmortem diagnoses were sudden infant death syndrome in seven infants and mild bronchopulmonary dysplasia in two infants. Primary cause of the monitor alarm was bradycardia in all but two infants. Heart rate fell to < or = 15 bpm 7.5 min (range 1.4-25.2 min) after the first alarm; there was no indication of heart block or ventricular tachycardia. Apnea (> 20 s) began 0.3 to 13.7 min (median 2.7 min) after this alarm in five infants and 7 to 20 s before it in three infants; in the remaining infant, stimulation occurred before any apnea. Gasping was already present at the time of the first monitor alarm in three infants and occurred within 2.7 min after it in a further four infants. One infant only began to gasp 13 min after the first monitor alarm. The duration of gasping ranged from 3 s to 11 min in those five infants in whom it was not interrupted by resuscitation. The latter was given to three infants 4, 21, and 228 s after the monitor alarm but had no effect on the ongoing decrease in heart rate. Since gasping only occurs if PaO2 is < 5-15 mm Hg, it is most likely that the seven infants who gasped at or shortly after the first monitor alarm were already severely hypoxemic at that time. This hypoxemia developed in the absence of prolonged central apnea. The role of other mechanisms potentially resulting in severe hypoxemia, such as upper airway obstruction or rebreathing, remains to be determined.     

Foamy myocardial transformation in a child with a disturbed respiratory chain

A female infant presented with signs of general muscle hypotonia and increasing hypertrophy of the heart muscle. There was a constant lactic acidosis worsened after glucose intake. Serum lactate levels were increased up to 6.7 mmol/l. Serum alanine levels reached maximum concentrations of 2800 μmol/l. The patient died after sudden cardiac arrest at 22 months of age. Histology of the heart showed the pattern of foamy myocardial transformation with accumulation of mitochondria and an increased glycogen content. Biochemical analysis of the skeletal muscle and the heart demonstrated signs of a disturbed respiratory chain. The content of cytochromeaa3 protein was decreased in skeletal muscle and heart mitochondria. It is suggested that respiratory chain defects may be the cause of foamy myocardial transformation of the heart.     

Clinical outcome and long-term management of 17 patients with propionic acidaemia

A retrospective study was performed on the clinical outcome and long-term treatment of 17 patients with propionic acidaemia diagnosed during the last 20 years in our hospital. The study group consisted of 12 patients with early onset type of disease and 5 patients with late onset. Seven (41%) patients died, five with early onset and two with late onset. The deceased early onset patients had a median survival of 0.4 years while the deceased late onset patients died at the age of 2.8 and 4 years respectively. Median age of the living early onset patients was 5.2 (1–9.25) years, the late onset patients were 4,7 and 23 years old. Patients were all treated with natural protein restriction and in most cases carnitine and metronidazole were added. The early onset patients were almost all treated with daily home tube feeding. The mean natural protein intake of early onset patients (6.3±1.5 g/day) was significantly lower than the natural protein intake of late onset patients (17.6±5.3 g/day). Supplemental protein intake was higher in early onset patients. The general neurological outcome of our study group was satisfactory with a better outcome for early onset patients. As to growth, many patients showed a failure to thrive, this was particularly for height. The strong protein restriction during the first years of life probably contributed to this.Conclusion The prognosis for patients with propionic acidaemia appeared to be satisfactory in terms of survival and outcome characteristics such as neurological and mental development. Despite these results the authors feel that the prognosis and quality of life of these patients might be improved with liver transplantation or possibly somatic gene therapy in the future.     

Hypoxanthine levels in vitreous humor: evidence of hypoxia in most infants who died of sudden infant death syndrome.

Postmortem changes of the hypoxanthine in vitreous humor in humans were investigated. Hypoxanthine is formed from hypoxic degradation of adenosine monophosphate. Repeated sampling was performed in 13 deceased adults. Keeping the bodies at +6 degrees C, the increase of the hypoxanthine levels was estimated to 3.5 mumol/L per hour when sampling was started more than 12 hours after death (range 2.8 to 5.6 mumol/L per hour). Results of hypoxanthine measurements from vitreous humor in 73 infants with sudden infant death syndrome, 17 infants and children who died sudden violent deaths, and 6 neonates who died suddenly without hypoxemia prior to death were corrected according to the expected postmortem hypoxanthine increase. The time between death and autopsy was similar in the three groups studied. The corrected median hypoxanthine level in the group with sudden infant death syndrome was 227 mumol/L, which is significantly higher than in the other groups; 22 mumol/L in the group who had violent deaths (P less than .01), and 0 mumol/L in the neonate group (P less than .01). The findings seem to confirm that sudden infant death is preceded by a relatively long period of tissue hypoxia in most cases.     

Nationwide survey of Cockayne syndrome in Japan: Incidence,clinical course and prognosis

In the first nationwide survey of Cockayne syndrome (CS) in Japan, the incidence of CS was estimated to be 2.77 per million births (95%CI: 2.19–3.11) and the prevalence was approximately 1 in 2 500 000. A total of 47 CS patients (24 surviving and 23 deceased) were identified. Based on clinical course, these 47 patients were classified into CS type 1 (n = 41; 21 surviving, 20 deceased), CS type 2 (n = 2; all deceased), CS type 3 (n = 3; all surviving), and CS/xeroderma pigmentosum type D (n = 1, deceased). In the 41 CS type 1 patients, seven findings (i.e. failure to thrive; photosensitivity; deafness; characteristic facial appearance of CS [sunken eyes]; foot joint contracture; intellectual disability; and basal ganglia calcification on computed tomography [CT]) were observed in >90% of patients. Of these, failure to thrive, photosensitivity, and intellectual disability (language delays) developed before 2 or 3 years of age, whereas deafness, sunken eyes, and basal ganglia calcification on CT occurred later. Features such as bodyweight and height stagnation, language delay, abnormal nutritional pathways (tube feeding), and renal failure were more prominent in the 20 deceased CS type 1 patients than in the 21 surviving CS type 1 patients. Of the 20 deceased CS type 1 patients, nine developed severe renal failure during the terminal stages of their condition. The present findings suggest that the clinical course of CS includes a diverse range of symptoms, but each type has characteristic symptoms. In addition, the management of renal failure and nutrition are very important for ensuring good quality of life throughout the long‐term course of CS.     

重视导致危重症及猝死的潜在遗传代谢病及内分泌疾病

不明原因猝死综合征是高收入国家儿童死亡的主要原因。猝死可发生在新生儿期至成人,貌似健康的人在日常活动、睡眠或运动中意外死亡,潜在的遗传病是导致心脏性猝死和脑死亡的病因。1977年美国首先关注到不明原因猝死综合征,美国、英国、泰国、日本等国家通过对猝死者的病因研究,证实多种遗传病导致的心脏病、脑病是猝死的两组主要疾病。其中心脏性猝死占一半以上,猝死或猝死样发作也常常是潜在遗传病的首发表现。已知多种遗传代谢病及内分泌疾病可导致猝死,如：原发性肉碱缺乏症、长QT综合征、心律失常、低镁血症、低钾血症、高钾血症、低钙血症、低血糖、线粒体病等。遗传代谢病及内分泌疾病包括氨基酸、有机酸、糖、脂肪等近千种先天性代谢缺陷,其中许多疾患可导致急性危重症甚至猝死。运用生化、电生理、影像、病理和基因诊断等技术,一些疾病可通过新生儿筛查及高危筛查获得早期诊断,通过饮食及药物干预,有望减少意外死亡,降低残障的发生。     

Schwartz-Jampel syndrome (osteochondromuscular dystrophy)]

BACKGROUND. Schwartz-Jampel syndrome is a rare disorder inherited as an autosomal recessive trait and characterized by growth retardation, multiple skeletal abnormalities, myotonia-like muscle disorders and unusual facies. CASE REPORTS. Case n. 1: A boy, aged 3 years 4 months, was admitted for acute respiratory disease. His main abnormalities included rigid facial expression, blepharophimosis, puckered lips, short neck, pectus carinatum, acetabular dysplasia with coxa vara, platyspondyly and marked growth retardation. There was a continuous muscle fiber activity at rest, with abnormal discharges originating in the muscle component of the neuromuscular junction. Blood investigations revealed low values of IgA. The child died at 4 years. Case n. 2: The sister of case n. 1 was examined at 14 months of age. She presented milder facies abnormalities, difficulties of gait because of stiff hips, muscular hypertrophy, coxa vara and growth retardation. X-rays showed skeletal abnormalities and the electromyogram was similar to those of her brother. She had dislocation of her optic lens. CONCLUSION. These 2 sibs have the characteristic manifestations of Schwartz-Jampel syndrome. Parental consanguinity was also present. The IgA deficiency observed in case n. 1 and the lens dislocation in case n. 2 have both been occasionally reported in this syndrome.     

Cardiac complications of enterovirus rhombencephalitis

Background: Epidemics of enterovirus 71 infection have caused the death of many children throughout the world. Rhombencephalitis, brain stem encephalitis, and heart failure were present in all of the fatal cases. However, no evidence of myocarditis was noted in the heart specimens, and the mechanism of heart failure remains unknown. Aims: To characterise the presentation of cardiac complications in children with enterovirus rhombencephalitis and discuss its pathogenesis. Methods: Ninety one consecutive patients with enterovirus rhombencephalitis underwent echocardiography. Of these, 17 patients (nine male, eight female; median age 14 months, range 4–57 months) with left ventricular dysfunction were studied. Results: Tachycardia was noted in all patients and systemic hypertension in 12. Muscle-brain fraction of creatine kinase was >5% in 14 patients. Plasma norepinephrine and epinephrine levels were significantly raised in the three patients in whom these were analysed. Electrocardiographic abnormalities were noted in eight patients. Pulmonary oedema was complicated in 15 patients. The initial ejection fraction of the left ventricle was 22–58% (mean 37%, SD 11%). All patients deteriorated to hypotensive shock within 12 hours and 13 died. Heart specimens from seven patients showed no evidence of myocarditis, but significant coagulative myocytolysis, myofibrillar degeneration, and cardiomyocyte apoptosis were observed. Conclusions: Acute heart failure was noted in 19% of patients with enterovirus rhombencephalitis, which had a fatality rate of 77%. It was not caused by myocarditis but possibly by neurogenic cardiac damage.     

Cardiac complications of enterovirus rhombencephalitis.

BACKGROUND: Epidemics of enterovirus 71 infection have caused the death of many children throughout the world. Rhombencephalitis, brain stem encephalitis, and heart failure were present in all of the fatal cases. However, no evidence of myocarditis was noted in the heart specimens, and the mechanism of heart failure remains unknown. AIMS: To characterise the presentation of cardiac complications in children with enterovirus rhombencephalitis and discuss its pathogenesis. METHODS: Ninety one consecutive patients with enterovirus rhombencephalitis underwent echocardiography. Of these, 17 patients (nine male, eight female; median age 14 months, range 4-57 months) with left ventricular dysfunction were studied. RESULTS: Tachycardia was noted in all patients and systemic hypertension in 12. Muscle-brain fraction of creatine kinase was >5% in 14 patients. Plasma norepinephrine and epinephrine levels were significantly raised in the three patients in whom these were analysed. Electrocardiographic abnormalities were noted in eight patients. Pulmonary oedema was complicated in 15 patients. The initial ejection fraction of the left ventricle was 22-58% (mean 37%, SD 11%). All patients deteriorated to hypotensive shock within 12 hours and 13 died. Heart specimens from seven patients showed no evidence of myocarditis, but significant coagulative myocytolysis, myofibrillar degeneration, and cardiomyocyte apoptosis were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Acute heart failure was noted in 19% of patients with enterovirus rhombencephalitis, which had a fatality rate of 77%. It was not caused by myocarditis but possibly by neurogenic cardiac damage.