OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that chronic beta-blocker therapy in pediatric patients with Marfan syndrome alters the rate of aortic root dilation. Beta-blockade has been advocated as preventive therapy for Marfan syndrome based on reports indicating a decreased rate of aortic root dilation in treated patients. STUDY DESIGN: Patients with Marfan syndrome (n = 63) followed at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh or Children's Hospital of New York-Presbyterian who had > or =18 months of echocardiographic follow-up were studied. All clinical data and 213 serial echocardiograms were reviewed, and aortic root dimensions were measured. Patients were divided into 2 groups for comparison: untreated (n = 34) and treated (n = 29). RESULTS: At study entry, the 2 study groups were comparable in terms of age, sex, body surface area (BSA), aortic root measurements, heart rate, and corresponding z scores. Follow-up duration in each group was similar. At last follow-up, heart rates and heart rate z scores were lower in the treated group. Rates of change of aortic root measurements (P = .52) and the corresponding z scores were not statistically different between the 2 group at the study's end. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that that beta-blocker therapy does not significantly alter the rate of aortic root dilation in children with Marfan syndrome. Based on these data, the recommendation of lifetime beta-blocker therapy instituted during childhood should be reassessed.
OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that chronic beta-blocker therapy in pediatric patients with Marfan syndrome alters the rate of aortic root dilation. Beta-blockade has been advocated as preventive therapy for Marfan syndrome based on reports indicating a decreased rate of aortic root dilation in treated patients. STUDY DESIGN:Patients with Marfan syndrome (n = 63) followed at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh or Children's Hospital of New York-Presbyterian who had > or =18 months of echocardiographic follow-up were studied. All clinical data and 213 serial echocardiograms were reviewed, and aortic root dimensions were measured. Patients were divided into 2 groups for comparison: untreated (n = 34) and treated (n = 29). RESULTS: At study entry, the 2 study groups were comparable in terms of age, sex, body surface area (BSA), aortic root measurements, heart rate, and corresponding z scores. Follow-up duration in each group was similar. At last follow-up, heart rates and heart rate z scores were lower in the treated group. Rates of change of aortic root measurements (P = .52) and the corresponding z scores were not statistically different between the 2 group at the study's end. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that that beta-blocker therapy does not significantly alter the rate of aortic root dilation in children with Marfan syndrome. Based on these data, the recommendation of lifetime beta-blocker therapy instituted during childhood should be reassessed.
Authors: Gail D Pearson; Richard Devereux; Bart Loeys; Cheryl Maslen; Dianna Milewicz; Reed Pyeritz; Francesco Ramirez; Daniel Rifkin; Lynn Sakai; Lars Svensson; Andy Wessels; Jennifer Van Eyk; Harry C Dietz Journal: Circulation Date: 2008-08-12 Impact factor: 29.690
Authors: Ronald V Lacro; Lin T Guey; Harry C Dietz; Gail D Pearson; Anji T Yetman; Bruce D Gelb; Bart L Loeys; D Woodrow Benson; Timothy J Bradley; Julie De Backer; Geoffrey A Forbus; Gloria L Klein; Wyman W Lai; Jami C Levine; Mark B Lewin; Larry W Markham; Stephen M Paridon; Mary Ella Pierpont; Elizabeth Radojewski; Elif Seda Selamet Tierney; Angela M Sharkey; Stephanie Burns Wechsler; Lynn Mahony Journal: Am Heart J Date: 2013-03-26 Impact factor: 4.749
Authors: Syed Usman Bin Mahmood; Camilo A Velasquez; Mohammad A Zafar; Ayman A Saeyeldin; Adam J Brownstein; Bulat A Ziganshin; John A Elefteriades; Sandip K Mukherjee Journal: Ann Cardiothorac Surg Date: 2017-11
Authors: Elif Seda Selamet Tierney; Jami C Levine; Shan Chen; Timothy J Bradley; Gail D Pearson; Steven D Colan; Lynn A Sleeper; M Jay Campbell; Meryl S Cohen; Julie De Backer; Lin T Guey; Haleh Heydarian; Wyman W Lai; Mark B Lewin; Edward Marcus; Christopher R Mart; Ricardo H Pignatelli; Beth F Printz; Angela M Sharkey; Girish S Shirali; Shubhika Srivastava; Ronald V Lacro Journal: J Am Soc Echocardiogr Date: 2013-04-10 Impact factor: 5.251
Authors: Ronald V Lacro; Harry C Dietz; Lisa M Wruck; Timothy J Bradley; Steven D Colan; Richard B Devereux; Gloria L Klein; Jennifer S Li; L LuAnn Minich; Stephen M Paridon; Gail D Pearson; Beth F Printz; Reed E Pyeritz; Elizabeth Radojewski; Mary J Roman; J Philip Saul; Mario P Stylianou; Lynn Mahony Journal: Am Heart J Date: 2007-10 Impact factor: 4.749