Pulmonary and ventricular functions in children with repaired tetralogy of Fallot

This study aimed to evaluate biventricular function, brain natriuretic peptide levels, respiratory function test and 6 minute walking test (6MWT) in children with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), and analyse the correlation between these variables and clinical status. Twenty-five children (14 boys, 11 girls; aged 6 to 17 years) with repaired TOF (Group 1) and 25 age-sex matched healthy controls (Group 2) were enrolled in the study. Tissue Doppler echocardiography, respiratory function test, 6MWT distance and brain natriuretic peptide levels were measured. Mean ages of the children at TOF corrective surgery and at study time were 5.1±3.5 years and 11.6±2.7 years respectively. The duration between palliative operation and corrective surgery was 4.3±2.0 years, and the follow-up period after corrective surgery was 6.3±3.0 years. The right ventricular and left ventricular myocardial performance indices (MPIs), and isovolumic relaxation and contraction times were significantly higher in Group 1 than in Group 2 (p