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Pediatric Cardiology Research

Clinical and translational research projects are a focus of Saint Louis University's pediatric cardiology division. Our faculty have been active in producing abstracts leading to regional and national presentations as well as published manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals.

Our faculty members also work closely with students and residents who are interested in carrying out clinical research projects.

Clinical and Research Interests

Kenneth Schowengerdt, M.D.

Kenneth Schowengerdt, M.D., serves as the division director of pediatric cardiology. His clinical responsibilities include inpatient and outpatient cardiology, and participation in non-invasive imaging. He is also the medical director of the Pediatric Heart Transplant Program.

His research interests include diagnosis and management of cardiomyopathy and heart failure; clinical cardiac transplantation; study of non-invasive methods of rejection surveillance; and investigation of immunologic mechanisms contributing to transplant vasculopathy. Dr. Schowengerdt is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, and a member of the American Pediatric Society and Society for Pediatric Research.

Jason Garnreiter, M.D.

Jason Garnreiter, M.D., is the director of pediatric electrophysiology. He specializes in the diagnosis and management of heart rhythm disorders, and performs procedures including cardiac ablations as well as pacemaker and defibrillator implantations. His research interests include inherited arrhythmias such as long QT syndrome, as well as pacemaker lead design and ways to optimize defibrillator programming for children and congenital heart disease patients. He is a member of the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) and the Pediatric and Adult Congenital Electrophysiology Society (PACES). 

Renuka Peterson, M.D.

Renuka Peterson, M.D., is the director of non-invasive imaging. She specializes in non-invasive cardiology to include echocardiography, transesophageal echocardiography and fetal cardiology. Her research interests include fetal echocardiographic assessment of infants with congenital heart disease.

Babak Rahimi, M.D.

Babak Rahimi, M.D., is the divisional coordinator of outpatient services. He also participates in the non-invasive imaging lab to include echocardiography and transesophageal echocardiography. His current research interest includes the identification and echocardiographic assessment of congenital coronary artery abnormalities.

Jamie Sutherell, M.D., M.Ed.

Jamie Sutherell, M.D., maintains clinical responsibilities within the outpatient cardiology clinic and noninvasive imaging lab. His primary clinical interest is echocardiography, especially transesophageal echocardiography. His specific teaching interest is curriculum development and evaluation. He serves as the associate director of pediatric education for the medical school and is a member of the clinical Simulation Education Team (SET).

Grants
  • Fleur Di Lis Grant
    W. King, M.D.
    Co-PI, Fetal International Cardiac Registry
    07/01/2014 – 06/30/2017
  • Missouri American College of Cardiology
    PI, Designing a Functional Bio-Compatible Aortic Valve Using 3D Printing
    07/01/2017-10/31/2018
Publications
  • Gist KM, Marino BS, Palmer C, Fish FA, Moore JP, Czosek RJ, Cassedy A, LaPage MJ, Law IH, Garnreiter J, Cannon BC, Collins KK. Cosmetic Outcomes and Quality of Life in Children with Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol, 2018 Oct 18. doi: 10/1111/pace, 13522.

  • Sox CM, Tenney-Soeiro R, Lewin LO, Ronan J, Brown M, King M, Thompson R, Noelck M, Sutherell JS, Silverstein M, Cabral HJ, Dell M. Efficacy of a Web-Based Oral Case Presentation Instruction Module: Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial. Acad Pediatr, 2018 Jul; 18(5): 535-541. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2017.12.010.

  • Williams JM, Parimi M, Sutherell J. Bartonella Endocarditis in a Child with Tetralogy of Fallot Complicated by PR3-ANCA Positive Serology, Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia, and Acute Kidney Injury. Clin Case Rep, 2018 May 21; 6(7): 1264-1267. doi: 10.1002/ccr3.1589.

  • Biggs JL, Sutherell JS, Remus R, Armbrecht ES, King MA. Positive Outcomes of Optimizing Student-Preceptor Continuity in a Traditional Block Clerkship. Teach Learn Med 2018 Apr-Jun; 30(2): 202-212. doi: 10.1080/10401334.2017.1412832.

  • Castleberry C, Pruitt E, Ameduri R, Schowengerdt K, Edens E, Hagin N, Kirklin JK, Naftel D, Urschel S. Risk Stratification to Determine the Impact of Induction Therapy on Survival, Rejection and Adverse Events After Pediatric Heart Transplant: A Multi-institutional Study. J Heart Lung Transplant, 2018 Apr; 37(4): 458-466. doi: 10/1016/j.healun.2017.05.010. Epub 2017 May 11.

  • Peterson R, Calamur N, Fiore A, Huddleston C, Spence K. Factors Influencing Outcomes After Cardiac Intervention in Infants with Trisomy 13 and 18. Pediatr Cardiol, 2017, Sept 25. doi: 10.1007/s00246-017-1738-y.

  • Petersen RL, Danon S, Jureidini S. Access to the Native Atria Following Conduit Total Cavopulmonary Anastomosis. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv, 2017, Aug 1;90(2): 292-296. Epub 2017 May 11.

  • Ozdemir E, Jureidini S, Peterson R. Cyanosis from Portosystemic Shunt after Fontan Completion. Congenital Cardiology Today, Jan 2017, 15:1, 1-2.

  • Castleberry C, Pruitt E, Ameduri R, Schowengerdt K, Edens E, Hagin N, Kirklin J, Naftel D, Urschel S. Risk Stratification to Determine the Impact of Induction Therapy on Survival, Rejection and Adverse Events After Pediatric Heart Transplant: A Multi-Institutional Study. J Heart Lung Transplant, Epub May 11, 2017.

  • Goel A, Iyengar A, Schowengerdt K, Fiore A, Huddleston C. Heart Transplantation in Children with Intellectual Disability: An Analysis of the UNOS Database. Pediatr Transplantation, 2017; Mar; 21(2), 1-6.

  • Moore JP, Shannon KM, Fish FA, Seslar SP, Garnreiter JM, Krause U, Tanel RE, Papez AA, Pilcher TA, Balaji S. Catheter Ablation of Supraventricular Tachyarrhythmia After Extracardiac Fontan Surgery. Heart Rhythm, 2016 Sep;13(9): 1891-7.

  • Moore JP, Wang S, Albers EL, Salerno JC, Stephenson EA, Shah MJ, Pflaumer A, Czosek RJ, Garnreiter JM, Collins K, Papez AL, Sanatani S, Cain NB, Kannankeril PJ, Perry JCC, Mandapati R, Silva JN, Balaji S, Shannon KM. A Clinical Risk Score to Improve the Diagnosis of Tachycardia-Induced Cardiomyopathy in Childhood. Am J Cardiol 2016 Oct 1;1118(7):1074-80.

  • King W, Schowengerdt K. Pulmonary Disease Associated With Congenital Heart Disease. In Wilmott (ed.): Kendig and Chernick’s Disorders of the Respiratory Tract in Children, 9th edition. Elsevier, In Press.

Abstracts and Presentations
  • Arbon KS, Law YM, Kirklin JK, Pruitt E, Hoffman TM, Schowengerdt KO, L’Ecuyer TJ, Kindel SJ. Abstract 21298: Surveillance Invasive Hemodynamics in Pediatric Heart Transplant Patients: Utility or Futility? Presented at the American Heart Association Annual Scientific Sessions in November 2017 (Anaheim, CA).
  • Singleton L, DeWolfe C, Gigante J, Khidir A, Sutherell J, Jirasevijinda TJ. "Poster to Publication", presented at 2017 COMSEP Meeting.
  • Sutherell JS. "Reflective writing during a pediatrics clerkship". Poster at 2017 COMSEP (Council on Medical Student Education in Pediatrics) meeting, March 29 through April 1 in Portland, Oregon.
  • Brueske K, Bauer C, Garnreiter J. Nearly Fluoroless Pacemaker Implantation in a Pregnant Pediatric Patient With Acquired Complete AV Block. Heart Rhythm Society Scientific Sessions, May 2016.
  • Buelter J, Parimi M, Thanugundla V, Condoor S, Parkar N, Danon S, King W. Feasibility and Validity of Printing 3-Dimensional Heart Models From Rotational Angiography. Pediatric Academic Societies, Baltimore, MD, Apr 30 – May 3, 2016.
  • Calamar N, Peterson R, Spence K. A Single Institution Experience of Cardiac Intervention in Infants With Trisomy 13 and 18. Poster presented at Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD, April 30-May 3, 2016.
  • Mitchell S, Schowengerdt K. Use of Echocardiography by Primary Care Physicians as a Mode of Cardiac Evaluation: Diagnostic Yield and Potential Effect on Cost of Care. Poster presented at Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD, April 30-May 3, 2016.
  • Castleberry C, Amenduri R, Schowengerdt K, Edens E, Hagin N, Pruitt E, Kirklin J, Urschel S. Impact of Induction Therapy Type in High and Low Risk Pediatric Patients After Heart Transplant: Analysis of the PHTS Database. J Heart Lung Transplant 2016; 35(4S): S72. Presented at the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation Annual Meeting, Washington DC, April 27-30, 2016.
  • Goel A, Fiore A, Schowengerdt K, Huddleston C. Temporary Inactivation From the Waitlist Due to Decline in Health Does Not Affect Mid-Term Outcomes Among Pediatric Heart Transplant Recipients. J Heart Lung transplant 2016; 35(4S): S404. Presented at the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation Annual Meeting, Washington DC, April 27-30, 2016.
  • Goel A, Fiore A, Schowengerdt K, Huddleston C. Developmental Delay is Not a Risk Factor for Poor Outcome in Pediatric Heart Transplantation. J Heart Lung Transplant 2016; 35(4S): S398. Presented at the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation Annual Meeting, Washington DC, April 27-30, 2016.
  • Mitchell S, Sutherell J. Noninvasive Management of a Right Atrial Thrombus Associated With a Central Line. Poster presented at Pediatric Science Days, St. Louis, MO, Apr 21-22, 2016.
  • Parimi M, Buelter J, Thanugundla V, Condoor S, Parkar N, Danon S, King W. Feasibility and Validity of Printing 3-Dimensional Heart Models From Rotational Angiography. Poster presented at Pediatric Science Days, St. Louis, MO, Apr 21-22, 2016.
  • Peterson R, Calamur N, Spence K. Outcomes After Cardiac Intervention in Infants With Trisomy 13 and 18. Poster presented at the American College of Cardiology 65th Annual Scientific Session, Apr 2-5, 2016, Chicago, IL.
  • Price B, Hundley J, Jureidini S, Danon S. Effects of Applying Radiation Dose Reduction Measures During Pediatric Cardiac Catheterization Procedures. Presented at the American College of Cardiology National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR), Chicago, IL, March 2016.
  • Parkar N, Moritz M, Condoor S, King W. Gateway to the Arch: 3D-printed Models in Three Case of Interrupted Aortic Arch. Radiological Societies of North America, Chicago, IL, Nov 29-Dec 4, 2015.
  • Petersen R, Danon S, Jureidini S. Novel Access to the Native Atria Following Total Cavopulmonary Anastomosis. Poster presented at the Pediatric and Adult Interventional Cardiac Symposium Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, NV, September 17-22, 2015.
  • Kremer T, Hunter L, Hundley J, Fiore A, Huddleston C, Jureidini S, Danon S. Extracardiac Fontan Fenestration Device Closure: Acute Results and Mid-Term Follow up. Poster presented at the Pediatric and Adult Interventional Cardiac Symposium Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, NV, September 17-22, 2015.
  • Aldoss O, Goldstein BH, Danon S, Williams D, Whiteside W, Sathanandam S, Gray R, Zampi JD. Acute and Mid-Term Outcomes of Stent Implantation for Recurrent Coarctation of the Aorta in Young Single Ventricle Patients Following the Norwood Operation: A Multi-Center PICES Investigation. Poster presented at the Pediatric and Adult Interventional Cardiac Symposium Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, NV, September 17-22, 2015.
  • Mitchell S, Sutherell J. Noninvasive Management of a Right Atrial Thrombus Associated With a Central Line. Poster presented at the Midwest Pediatric Cardiology Society Annual Meeting, Peoria, IL, September 10-11, 2015.
  • Davis E, Sutherell J. Outcomes of Interventions for Congenital heart Disease in Patients With Trisomy 18. Poster presented at the Midwest Pediatric Cardiology Society Annual Meeting, Peoria, IL, September 10-11, 2015.