Masashi Nishida, Shingo Kubo, Yuma Morishita, Kosuke Nishikawa, Kazuyuki Ikeda, Toshiyuki Itoi, Hajime Hosoi

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.14, No.6, pp. 1087-1093, 2019, DOI:10.1111/chd.12853

Abstract Objective: This study aims to investigate the changes in renal function and levels of urinary biomarkers before and after cardiac angiography in children with congenital heart disease (CHD).
Setting: Children with CHD are at a risk for kidney injury during contrast exposure in cardiac angiography.
Outcome Measures: We measured urinary protein, albumin, N‐acetyl‐β‐D‐glucosaminidase (NAG), β2‐microglobulin (BMG), and liver‐type fatty acid‐binding protein (L‐FABP) levels, as well as serum creatinine and cystatin C levels, before and after cardiac angiography in 33 children with CHD.
Results: No significant decrease was noted in either the creatinine‐based or cystatin C‐based estimated glomerular filtration rate… More >

Tim Takken¹, Alyanne Evertse¹, Fleur de Waard¹, Mandy Spoorenburg¹, Martijn Kuijpers¹, Christian Schroer^2,3, Erik H. Hulzebos¹

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.14, No.6, pp. 1005-1012, 2019, DOI:10.1111/chd.12850

Abstract Background: Traveling to high altitude has become more popular. High‐altitude exposure causes hypobaric hypoxia. Exposure to acute high altitude, during air travel or mountain stays, seems to be safe for most patients with congenital heart disorders (CHD). Still, current guidelines for CHD patients express concerns regarding safety of altitude exposure for patients with a Fontan circulation. Therefore, investigating hemodynamic and pulmonary responses of acute high‐altitude exposure (±2500 m) at rest and during maximal exercise in patients with Fontan circulation can provide clarity in this dispute and may contribute to improvement of clinical counseling.
Methods: Twenty‐one Fontan patients… More >

Simone Goa Diab¹, Kristin Godang², Lil‐Sofie Ording Müller³, Runar Almaas⁴, Charlotte de Lange³, Leif Brunvand¹, Kari Margrethe Hansen¹, Anne Grethe Myhre⁵, Gaute Døhlen¹, Erik Thaulow^1,6, Jens Bollerslev^2,6, Thomas Möller¹

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.14, No.6, pp. 996-1004, 2019, DOI:10.1111/chd.12848

Abstract Objective: We investigated bone mineral density (BMD) at different ages after the Fontan completion, and we evaluated the relationship between BMD, vitamin D levels, and pertinent patient variables.
Methods: A cross‐sectional sample of 64 patients was examined with dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans to determine BMD. Of these patients, 24 were also examined with BoneXpert software to determine bone mass density (BMX), expressed as the bone health index (BHI). Blood samples from all patients were analyzed. Patients were divided into three different age groups; A: 4‐9 years old (n = 22), B: 10‐15 years old (n =… More >

Sara Bobillo‐Perez^1,2, Joan Sanchez‐de‐Toledo^3,4, Susana Segura², Monica Girona‐Alarcon², Maria Mele⁵, Anna Sole‐Ribalta², Debora Cañizo Vazquez⁶, Iolanda Jordan^2,7, Francisco Jose Cambra^1,2

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.14, No.6, pp. 1066-1077, 2019, DOI:10.1111/chd.12846

Abstract Objective: Three scores have been proposed to stratify the risk of mortality for each cardiac surgical procedure: The RACHS‐1, the Aristotle Basic Complexity (ABC), and the STS‐EACTS complexity scoring model. The aim was to compare the ability to predict mortality and morbidity of the three scores applied to a specific population.
Design: Retrospective, descriptive study.
Setting: Pediatric and neonatal intensive care units in a referral hospital.
Patients: Children under 18 years admitted to the intensive care unit after surgery.
Interventions: None.
Outcome measures: Demographic, clinical, and surgical data were assessed. Morbidity was considered as prolonged length of stay (LOS > 75… More >

Line Marie Holst¹, Faridis Serrano², Lara Shekerdemian², Hanne Berg Ravn¹, Danielle Guffey³, Nancy S. Ghanayem², Sonia Monteiro⁴

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.14, No.6, pp. 1207-1213, 2019, DOI:10.1111/chd.12827

Abstract Objective: To investigate the impact of feeding mode on neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with congenital heart defects.
Design: A retrospective cohort study of 208 children with congenital heart disease (CHD), who had surgery from 1 January 2013 until 31 December 2016 at Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, US.
Settings: University Hospital, Developmental Outcome Clinic.
Outcomes measures: Standardized cognitive scores were assessed with Capute Scales and motor development with Revised Gesell Developmental Schedules. We analyzed anthropometrics, mode of feeding, surgical complexity, syndrome, and gen‐ der as predictors of developmental outcomes at four time points: hospital discharge, and 6, 12, and… More >

Aura A. Sanchez^1,2, Sara K. Sexson Tejtel¹, Myriam E. Almeida‐Jones^1,3, Douglas K. Feagin¹, Carolyn A. Altman¹, Ricardo H. Pignatelli¹

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.14, No.6, pp. 1024-1031, 2019, DOI:10.1111/chd.12787

Abstract Objective: Children with Kawasaki disease (KD) with persistent coronary artery aneurysms (CAAs) can develop chronic vasculopathy and subsequent myocardial ischemia. Early detection of this process is challenging. Myocardial deformation anal‐ ysis can detect early alterations in myocardial performance. We aim to determine whether there are differences in myocardial deformation between KD patients with and without CAAs.
Design: This is a cross‐sectional study of 123 echocardiograms performed on 103 children with KD. Myocardial deformation was measured with two‐dimensional speckle tracking (2DSTE). The echocardiograms were divided into groups according to the KD phase in which they were performed: acute,… More >

Jennifer K. Peterson¹, Shaun P. Setty^1,2, Jessica H. Knight³, Amanda S. Thomas⁴, James H. Moller⁵, Lazaros K. Kochilas^4,6

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.14, No.5, pp. 854-863, 2019, DOI:10.1111/chd.12823

Abstract Objective: Patients with Trisomy 21 (T21) and single ventricle (SV) physiology present unique challenges compared to euploidic counterparts. This study reports postoperative and long‐term outcomes in patients with T21 and SV palliation.
Design: This retrospective cohort study from the Pediatric Cardiac Care Consortium (PCCC) included patients with T21 (<21 years old) that underwent surgical palliation for SV between 1982 and 2008 and control patients without known genetic anom‐ aly following Fontan palliation for similar diagnoses. Kaplan‐Meier survival plots were created based on death events obtained from the PCCC and by linkage with the National Death Index (NDI)… More >

Bruno Lefort^1,2, Christophe Saint‐Etienne¹, Nathalie Soulé¹, Iris Ma¹, Fanny Dion¹, Alain Chantepie^1,2

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.14, No.5, pp. 814-818, 2019, DOI:10.1111/chd.12812

Abstract Background and objective: Chronic total occlusion (CTO) guidewire have been recently reported as an alternative to radiofrequency for perforating atretic pulmonary valve. Since procedure failures or perforation of the right ventricle still occurred with CTO, we tried to enhance the stability, steering, and pushability of the wire using a microcatheter in order to improve the safety and efficacy of the procedure.
Methods: We performed pulmonary valve perforation with CTO guidewire and microcatheter in five consecutive newborns with pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum (PA‐IVS) under fluoroscopic and echocardiographic control.
Results: The valve was easily perforated at the first… More >

Kieu T. Huynh¹, Vien T. Truong^2,3, Tam N. M. Ngo^3,4, Thao B. Dang⁵, Wojciech Mazur³, Eugene S. Chung^3,6, Justin T. Tretter⁷, Dean J. Kereiakes³, Tuyen K. Le⁸, Vinh N. Pham¹

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.14, No.5, pp. 772-777, 2019, DOI:10.1111/chd.12781

Abstract Objectives: The aim of our work is to investigate the clinical characteristics of coro‐ nary artery fistula (CAF) anomalies in South Vietnam.
Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of 119 patients with diagnosis of definite CAF between January 1992 and April 2016. The demographic, clinical, echocardio‐ graphic, and angiographic characteristics and management of CAF with short‐term outcomes are described.
Results: The median age was 15 years (range, 1‐79 years), with 49 male (41%) and 70 female (59%). There were 77 symptomatic patients (64.7%) and 91 patients (76.5%) who presented with a murmur. The electrocardiogram was abnormal in 45.4%… More >

Sarah Tweddell, Rohit S. Loomba, David S. Cooper, Alexis L. Benscoter

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.14, No.5, pp. 785-790, 2019, DOI:10.1111/chd.12779

Abstract Introduction: Health care‐associated infections (HAIs) increase mortality, length of stay, and cost in hospitalized patients. The incidence of and risk factors for developing HAIs in the pediatric population after cardiac surgery have been studied. This study evaluates the impact of HAIs on length of stay, inpatient mortality, and cost of hospitalization in the pediatric population after cardiac surgery.
Methods: TheKids’InpatientDatabasewasqueriedforanalysis.Patientsunder18years of age who underwent cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2012 were included. HAIs were defined as central line‐associated blood stream infections, catheter‐associated urinary tract infections, ventilator‐associated pneumonias, and surgical wound infections. Univariate analysis compared admissions with and… More >