Globally, fewer cases of COVID-19 have been reported in children (age 0-17 years) compared with adults [1,2], The number and rate of cases in children have been steadily increasing since March 2020. The true incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children is not known due to lack of widespread testing and the prioritization of testing for adults and those with severe illness. Hospitalization rates in children are significantly lower than hospitalization rates in adults with COVID-19, suggesting that children may have less severe illness from COVID-19 compared to adults [5,6]. Evidence suggests that compared to adults, children likely have similar viral loads in their nasopharynx, [7] similar secondary infections rates, and can spread the virus to others [8,9]. Due to community mitigation measures and school closures, transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to and among children may have been reduced during the pandemic in the spring and early summer of 2020. This may explain the low incidence in children compared with adults. Comparing trends in pediatric infections before and after the return to child care, in-person school, youth sports and other activities may enhance our understanding about infections in children. Children infected with SARS-CoV-2 may have many of these non-specific symptoms, only have a few (such as only upper respiratory symptoms or only gastrointestinal symptoms), or may be asymptomatic. The most common symptoms in children are cough and/or fever [11-15]. A recent systematic review estimated that 16% of children with SARS-CoV-2 infection are asymptomatic, [16] but evidence suggests that as many as half of pediatric infections may be asymptomatic [17] The signs and symptoms of COVID-19 in children are similar to those of other infections and noninfectious processes, including influenza, streptococcal pharyngitis, and allergic rhinitis. The lack of specificity of signs or symptoms and the significant proportion of asymptomatic infections make symptom-based screening for identification of SARS-CoV-2 in children particularly challenging [17].

Aims: To recognize cardiac arrhythmias and conduction abnormalities in children who underwent a surgical repair for congenital heart disease. Patients and Methods: One hundred thirty one (131) patients underwent a surgical repair of congenital heart disease between 2000-2018, and follow-up period after surgery was from two months to eighteen years and our data was collected over 1 year “2018”  by interview both children and parents, sixty-four patients (48.8%) were a cyanotic congenital heart disease (ACCHD),sixty-seven patients(51.1%) were cyanotic congenital heart disease (CCHD), (41.9%) were female, (58.1%) were male. Cyanotic congenital heart disease more common in male. These patients were evaluated by ECG to detect conduction abnormalities and arrhythmias, Holter monitoring in symptomatic patient. Results: Types of abnormal heart rhythm found out by ECG, Holter monitoring, significant premature atrial contraction (PAC) in one patient post fontain, atrial fibrillation in two patients with post-operative (ASD) repaired. RBBB occur in 53 patients and was most common among post-operative (TOF) repaired (37 patients). Frequent ventricular ectopic in one patient with postoperative (TOF) repaired. Atrial tachycardia in one patient with Epstein anomaly, WPW in two patients with Epstein anomaly, complete heart blook in five patients, four of them post operative VSD repaired, one post fontain operation. Symptomatic bradycardia needs pace maker in one patient post fontan operation. Conclusions: The Patient after repair of congenital heart defect needed follow-up for detection of arrhythmias, those with complex defect need more frequent follow-up because they prone more to arrhythmia than those with simple defect with no residual defect.

The eighth Annual Scientific Meeting of the Libyan Cardiac Society Congress was held between July 1st and 3rd, 2022, in Rixos Convention Center in Tripoli, Libya. Abstracts were received in three categories: clinical vignette, research, and quality improvement. All abstracts underwent a peer-review process by the scientific committee and independent reviewers. A grading system was used based on the abstract's quality, novelty, and clinical significance. Here, we present both the oral and poster abstracts as submitted by the authors after minimal restyling to suit publications purposes. Most abstracts were clinical vignettes from Libya, Tunisia, Turkey, and the United States of America. They are published here for rapid communication and to benefit those who could not attend the congress physically.The eighth Annual Scientific Meeting of the Libyan Cardiac Society, known as the eighth LCS Congress, was held between July 1 st to 3 rd , 2022, in Rixos Convention Center in Tripoli, Libya. Fifty-four abstracts were received in three categories: clinical vignette, research, and quality improvement. Most abstracts were clinical vignettes from Libya, Tunisia, Turkey, and the United States of America. All abstracts underwent a peerreview process by the scientific committee and independent reviewers. A grading system was used based on the abstract's quality, novelty, and clinical significance. Each abstract was evaluated and scored by two reviewers. Out of 54 abstracts, 40 were accepted, and one was retracted by the author prior to the meeting. The main reasons for rejections were as follows: poor quality, unrelated to cardiology, and duplicate publication.Here, we present both the oral (OA) and poster abstracts (PA) of the eighth LCS Congress as submitted by the authors.The first five abstracts (PA 1-5) are the winners of young investigator awards for best posters during the eighth LCS Congress poster competition. If not published yet, we invite all authors to submit a full manuscript of their abstracts to the journal for a peer-review process.

Isolated dilatation of the aortic root and/or ascending aorta is a rare but well-known cardiovascular manifestation, can be caused by a variety of congenital or acquired conditions; that lead to the weakening of the aortic wall. The study aimed to detect the cause and the rate of the aortic root dilatation in children and adolescents, and to assess the effect of the Beta-adrenergic blockers in preventing further dilatation in the aortic root. A case series study was perform with five years of follow-up at Al-Hawary General Hospital, National Benghazi Cardiac Center. A total of 91 patients were seen with ascending aortic dilatation and/or root dilatation during the period from 6/2016 - 6/2021 included in the study diagnosed by clinical examination, chest x-ray, and echocardiogram. The diagnosis in 34/91(37%) was Tetralogy of fallout (TOF) and truncus arteriosus, 57/91 (63%) was dilated aortic root, 25/57 (44%) bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), 22/57 (38.5%) Marfan syndrome, 4/57(7%) Noonan syndrome, 2/57(3.5%) Turner syndrome, 3/57(5%) Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, 1/57(2%) idiopathic. Follow-up results of three months – five years: 57/91 patients with aortic root dilatation were followed up, none of the Marfan syndrome and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome patients who received beta-blockers had shown progression in the dilatation of the aortic root, and all patients who had bicuspid aortic valve did not show any progression in the dilatation without using medication. Conclusions: Dilated aortic root is a common finding in Marfan syndrome, bicuspid aortic root, and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and its progress could be decreased by using beta-adrenergic blockers in rapidly progressing dilation.