Hieu Lan Nguyen^1,2, Quang Tan Phan^3,4, Linh Huynh Dinh², Hieu Ba Tran², Hoyoun Won⁴, Julian Johny Thottian^4,5, Dung Doan Duc¹, Truong Nguyen Quang³, Sang Wook Kim⁴

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.4, pp. 584-593, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12613

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Nit-Occlud Le VSD Coil versus Duct Occluders ^ for percutaneous closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defect (pmVSD).
Introduction: VSD closure using conventional pmVSD occluders has been largely abandoned because of an unacceptable high rate of complete heart block (CHB). The advantages of Duct Occluders and VSD Coil are supposed to reduce the drawbacks of previous devices, especially CHB complications.
Method: Patients underwent percutaneous pmVSD closure were divided into Coil group (using VSD Coil, n = 71) and DO group (using Duct Occluders, n = 315). Patient demographics, clinical presentations, echocardiography… 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… More >

Michele M. Pasierb, Josiah M. Penalver, Margaret M. Vernon, Bhawna Arya

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.4, pp. 571-577, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12611

Abstract Background: Accurate prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease (CHD) allows for appropriate delivery and postnatal management. Geographic constraints limit access to fetal cardiology subspecialists. In our approach, general pediatric cardiologists are first line in regional prenatal cardiac screening. We aim to demonstrate the utility of this approach in diagnosing CHD requiring cardiac interventions within 30 days of life.
Methods: This is a retrospective review of fetal echocardiograms performed at Seattle Children’s Hospital regional cardiology sites (SCH-RC) from December 2008 to December 2015. Referrals to Seattle Children’s Hospital Prenatal Program (SCH-PNP) were evaluated for referral timing, indication, diagnostic… More >

Jonathan N. Menachem¹, Edo Y. Birati², Payman Zamani², Anjali T. Owens², Pavan Atluri³, Christian A. Bermudez³, David Drajpuch², Stephanie Fuller⁴, Yuli Y. Kim², Christopher E. Mascio⁴, Vikram Palanivel², J. Eduardo Rame², Joyce Wald², Michael A. Acker³, Jeremy A. Mazurek²

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.4, pp. 492-498, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12606

Abstract Background: Heart failure (HF) is the leading cause of death in adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD). Identification of disease progression and timing of referral for advanced therapies is often delayed. However, increased awareness and understanding of ACHD and improvements in the approach to treatment have led to improved outcomes. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a common barrier to HT. In ACHD, the approach to PH and HT is quite complicated, given the anatomic heterogeneity and lower prevalence and experience. However, in some cases, PH is a result of elevated systemic filling pressures and low output.
Methods: We… More >

Nancy McClung^1,2, Jill Glidewell¹, Sherry L. Farr¹

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.4, pp. 554-562, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12605

Abstract Objective: To examine the financial burdens and mental health needs of families of children with special healthcare needs (CSHCN) with congenital heart disease (CHD).
Methods: Data from the 2009–2010 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs (NS-CSHCN) were used to examine parent-reported financial burdens (out-of-pocket expenses, financial problems, employment impact, caregiving hours) and family members’ need for mental health services in families of CSHCN with CHD. Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare financial burdens and family members’ need for mental health services among CSHCN with and without CHD. Among CSHCN with CHD, multivariable logistic… More >

Albert C. Hergenroeder¹, Douglas S. Moodie², Daniel J. Penny², Constance M. Wiemann¹, Blanca Sanchez-Fournier¹, Lauren K. Moore², Jane Head³

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.4, pp. 548-553, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12604

Abstract Objective: To describe changes in functional status between the last pediatric and first adult congenital heart disease (CHD) clinic visits in patients with moderate to severe CHD after implementing a healthcare transition (HCT) planning program.
Design: Quasi-experimental design. Patients were followed prospectively following the implementation of the intervention; Control patients transitioned from the Pediatric CHD Clinic into Adult CHD Clinic before the intervention.
Setting: Texas Children’s Hospital (TCH).
Patients: Sixteen to 25-year-olds, cognitively normal, English speaking patients with moderate to severe CHD who transitioned from the Pediatric to the Adult CHD clinic.
Interventions: An EMR-based transition planning tool (TPT) was… More >

Gareth J. Morgan¹, Matteo Ciuffreda², Isabella Spadoni³, Joseph DeGiovanni⁴

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.3, pp. 458-462, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12596

Abstract Aim: To assess the acute results of the first human use of the Optimus covered stent in complex coarctation of the aorta.
Methods and Results: We successfully implanted the Optimus covered stent in eight cases in patients whose preprocedural anatomy looked challenging for currently available covered stents. Six of the patients had native coarctation with one recoarctation following surgical repair. There were no significant complications with reduction in the mean invasive gradient from 22 to 1 mm Hg. The length of stents used ranged from 33 to 57 mm with a median shortening after expansion of 13%. More >

Adam S. Walpert¹, Ian D. Thomas², Merlin C. Lowe Jr¹, Michael D. Seckeler³

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.3, pp. 428-431, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12590

Abstract Objective: The aim of this study was to compare inpatient outcomes and costs for children with respiratory syncytial virus and congenital heart disease before and after the change in management guidelines for respiratory syncytial virus prophylaxis.
Design: Hospital discharge data from the Vizient (formerly University HealthSystem Consortium) were queried from October 2012 to June 2014 (Era 1) and July 2014 to April 2016 (Era 2) for patients aged <24 months with an any International Classification of Disease (ICD)-9 or ICD-10 code for congenital heart disease (745-747.49, Q20.0-Q26.4) and a primary or secondary admitting diagnosis of respiratory syncytial… More >

Chin Siang Ong¹, Aravind Krishnan¹, Chen Yu Huang¹, Philip Spevak², Luca Vricella¹, Narutoshi Hibino¹, Juan R. Garcia², Lasya Gaur³

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.3, pp. 357-361, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12587

Abstract Objective: New platforms for patient imaging present opportunities for improved surgical planning in complex congenital heart disease (CHD). Virtual reality (VR) allows for interactive manipulation of high-resolution representations of patient-specific imaging data, as a supplement to traditional 2D visualizations and 3D printed heart models.
Design: We present the novel use of VR for the presurgical planning of cardiac surgery in two infants with complex CHD to demonstrate interactive real-time views of complex intra and extracardiac anatomy.
Results: The use of VR for cardiac presurgical planning is feasible using existing imaging data. The software was evaluated by both pediatric More >

Stephanie A. Goldstein, Martin J. LaPage, Brynn E. Dechert, Gerald A. Serwer, Sunkyung Yu, Ray E. Lowery, David J. Bradley

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.3, pp. 413-418, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12585

Abstract Objective: Inappropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) shocks in children and patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) remain a major complication of device therapy, occurring in as many as 50% of children with ICDs. New generation devices include algorithms designed to minimize inappropriate shocks. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of new generation ICDs on the incidence of inappropriate shocks in the pediatric and CHD population.
Design: Retrospective study of patients with CHD or under age 25 receiving ICDs between 2000 and 2015. New generation ICDs were defined as those with Medtronic “SmartShock” algorithms.
Results: Two hundred eight… More >