Background
The cardiovascular characteristics of children with Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) remains unclear. The present study aimed to evaluate the cardiovascular changes with ultrasound examination in children with HGPS, and compared these with those in normal children and older people.
Method(s)
Seven HGPS children, 21 age-matched healthy children, and 14 older healthy volunteers were evaluated by three-dimensional echocardiography (including strain analysis) and carotid elasticity examination with the echo-tracking technique. Result(s)
Children with HGPS had higher left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and global longitudinal strain, when compared to older healthy volunteers (P<0.05). However, these parameters were not significantly different, when compared to those in healthy children. Furthermore, children with HGPS had lower average peak times in the left ventricle, when compared with the other two groups. For the structure of the carotid artery detected by ultrasound, the abnormality rates were similar between children with HGPS and older healthy volunteers (83.3% vs. 71.4%). The elastic parameters, elastic modulus, stiffness parameter and pulsed wave transmittal velocity of children with HGPS were lower, when compared to those in older healthy volunteers (P<0.05), while were higher with arterial compliance (P>0.05). Furthermore, no significant difference existed among the vascular elastic parameters between HGPS and normal children.
Conclusion(s) HGPS children had impaired left ventricular (LV) synchrony, when compared to normal children, although the difference in LVEF was not statistically significant. Furthermore, the structural abnormality of the carotid artery in HGPS children was similar to that in older people, although the index of elasticity appears to be more favorable. These results suggest that the cardiovascular system in HGPS children differs from natural aging.

Ultrasonic characteristics of cardiovascular changes in children with Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome: A comparative study with normal children and aging people

ECHO ASIA is organized by Asian-Pacific Association of Echocardiography (AAE). The meeting combines the basic echocardiography training curriculum and the state-of-the-art lectures/scientific sessions provided by international as well as Asian-Pacific experts. The meeting is a unique forum where scientists from many countries in the Asian-Pacific region who are involved in the field of Doppler echocardiography gather together to exchange knowledge and skills. Various internationally distinguished faculties consent to present their findings and reveal their clinical experiences in ECHO ASIA.