Amy Sanyahumbi¹, Andrea Beaton², Danielle Guffey³, Mina C. Hosseinipour⁴, Melissa Karlsten¹, Charles G. Minard³, Daniel J. Penny¹, Craig A. Sable⁵, Peter N. Kazembe⁶

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.14, No.4, pp. 614-618, 2019, DOI:10.1111/chd.12756

Abstract Background: In asymptomatic children, screening echocardiography has been used to attempt to diagnose rheumatic heart disease (RHD) at an early stage (latent RHD). World Heart Federation guidelines have standardized categorization of “definite,” “borderline,” or no RHD by echo findings. The progression of RHD diagnosed through echo screening is not known. In 2014, we screened 1450 schoolchildren in Malawi.
Objective: Our objective was to evaluate 2‐year RHD evolution among those diag‐ nosed through screening.
Methods: Two‐year follow‐up echocardiograms of those diagnosed with latent RHD were read by a primary, secondary, then third reader if there was disagreement. Progression or regression of… More >

Dmitry Tumin^1,2, Helen Chou¹, Don Hayes Jr^1,3,4, Joseph D. Tobias^1,2,5, Mark Galantowicz^6,7, Patrick I. McConnell^6,7

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.12, No.6, pp. 794-799, 2017, DOI:10.1111/chd.12513

Abstract Objective: Adults with congenital heart disease may require heart transplantation for end-stage heart failure. Whereas heart transplantation potentially allows adults with congenital heart disease to resume their usual activities, employment outcomes in this population are unknown. Therefore, we investigated the prevalence and predictors of work participation after heart transplantation for congenital heart disease.
Design: Retrospective review of a prospective registry.
Setting: United Network for Organ Sharing registry of transplant recipients in the United States.
Patients: Adult recipients of first-time heart transplantation with a primary diagnosis of congenital heart disease, performed between 2004 and 2015.
Interventions: None.
Outcome measures: Employment status… More >

Karrie F. Downing^1,2, Matthew E. Oster^1,3, Sherry L. Farr¹

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.12, No.4, pp. 497-506, 2017, DOI:10.1111/chd.12476

Abstract Objective: A substantial percentage of children with congenital heart disease (CHD) fail to transfer to adult care, resulting in increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Transition planning discussions with a provider may increase rates of transfer, yet little is known about frequency and content of these discussions. We assessed prevalence and predictors of transition-related discussions between providers and parents of children with special healthcare needs (CSHCN) and heart problems, including CHD.
Design: Using parent-reported data on 12- to 17-year-olds from the 2009–2010 National Survey of CSHCN, we calculated adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) for associations between demographic factors and provider discussions… More >

Jennifer K. Peterson¹, Yanjun Chen², Danh V. Nguyen³, Shaun P. Setty¹

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.12, No.4, pp. 520-532, 2017, DOI:10.1111/chd.12475

Abstract Objective: Despite overall improvements in congenital heart disease outcomes, racial and ethnic disparities have continued. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of race and ethnicity, as well as other risk factors on congenital heart surgery length of stay and in-hospital mortality.
Design: From the 2012 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kids Inpatient Database (KID), we identified 13 130 records with Risk Adjustment in Congenital Heart Surgery complexity scoreeligible procedures. Multivariate logistic and linear regression modeling with survey weights, stratification and clustering was used to examine the relationships between predictor variables and length of stay as well… More >

Sarah A. Twichell¹, Corinna J. Rea¹, Patrice Melvin², Andrew J. Capraro¹, Joshua C. Mandel¹, Michael A. Ferguson¹, Daniel J. Nigrin¹, Kenneth D. Mandl¹, Dionne Graham², Justin P. Zachariah³

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.12, No.4, pp. 484-490, 2017, DOI:10.1111/chd.12469

Abstract Background: Recognition of high blood pressure (BP) in children is poor, partly due to the need to compute age-sex-height referenced percentiles. This study examined the change in abnormal BP recognition before versus after the introduction of an electronic health record (EHR) app designed to calculate BP percentiles with a training lecture.
Methods and results: Clinical data were extracted on all ambulatory, non-urgent encounters for children 3–18 years old seen in primary care, endocrinology, cardiology, or nephrology clinics at an urban, academic hospital in the year before and the year after app introduction. Outpatients with at least 1 BP above the… More >

Daniel J Penny

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.12, No.3, pp. 241-241, 2017, DOI:10.1111/chd.12474

Abstract This article has no abstract. More >

Bahareh Eslami^1,2

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.12, No.3, pp. 357-363, 2017, DOI:10.1111/chd.12452

Abstract Objective: The aims of this study were to compare the level of posttraumatic stress disorder between adults with and without congenital heart disease, and to examine the correlates of posttraumatic stress disorder (e.g., sociodemographics).
Design: Cross-sectional.
Setting: Two university-affiliated heart hospitals in Tehran, Iran.
Patients: A sample of 347 adults with congenital heart disease aged 18–64 years (52% women), and 353 adults without congenital heart disease matched by sex and age (±2 years) was recruited. Outcome Measures: The PTSD Scale: Self-report version was used to assess the diagnosis and severity of posttraumatic stress disorder. Hierarchical multivariate logistic regression analyses were… More >

Carlos E. B. Branco¹, Roney O. Sampaio¹, Flavio Tarasoutchi¹, Justin P. Zachariah²

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.6, pp. 1069-1071, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12676

Abstract In the 2017, “Cairo Accord on Rheumatic Heart Disease—From Molecules to The Global Community” experts from endemic areas enumerated an approach to reduce the population burden of rheumatic heart disease. The 10 key recommendations in‐ clude immediate logistical objectives as well as domains for further study. Echocardiographic population screening programs were relegated to research alone. Given the large body of supporting data, relegating echo screening to an investiga‐ tional modality is an opportunity lost. More >

Joshua Saef¹, Sandeep Sodhi¹, Kristen M. Tecson², Vanessa al Rashida¹, Jong Mi Ko², Kamila S. White³, Philip A. Ludbrook¹, Ari M. Cedars⁴

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.6, pp. 967-977, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12668

Abstract Objective: Growth in the adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) population represents a challenge to the health care infrastructure. As patients with chronic disease are increasingly held accountable for their own care, contributors to disease‐ specific health knowledge, which are known to correlate with patients’ participation in care, merit investigation to design patient‐focused interventions.
Design: We conducted a single‐site, cross‐sectional study of ACHD patients. Investigators retrospectively gathered clinical data as well as psychometric and health status assessments completed at the time of enrollment.
Outcome Measures: We investigated the impact of clinical and psychological varia‐ bles on Leuven Knowledge Questionnaire for… More >

Kevin C. Harris¹, Christine Voss¹, Kathryn Rankin², Basmina Aminzadah², Ross Gardner¹, Andrew S. Mackie²

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.4, pp. 563-570, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12612

Abstract Objective: Individuals with congenital heart disease (CHD) may be at higher risk of acquired cardiovascular disease than the general population due to their underlying physiology and/or surgical sequelae. We sought to assess the prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors in youth and adults with CHD.
Methods: We assessed cardiovascular health as per the Cardiovascular Health in Ambulatory Care Research Team (CANHEART) health index in patients with CHD aged 15+ years who attended cardiology outpatient clinics. Participants self-reported smoking behavior, fruit and vegetable consumption, physical activity, and whether they had diabetes and hypertension. Individual health indices were categorized into ideal/not ideal,… More >