Katie E. Cohen¹, Matthew W. Buelow¹, Jennifer Dixon¹, Ruta Brazauskas², Scott B. Cohen³, Michael G. Earing^1,3, Salil Ginde¹

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.12, No.4, pp. 435-440, 2017, DOI:10.1111/chd.12470

Abstract Objective: Abnormal lung function characterized by a reduced forced vital capacity (FVC) is common in adults with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) and is associated with previous thoracotomies and sternotomies. The impact of abnormal lung function on clinical outcomes in adult patients with repaired TOF is unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of abnormal lung function on the outcome of hospitalization and death in adults with repaired TOF when analyzed with other traditional cardiac risk factors.
Design: Retrospective study of adults with repaired TOF, who underwent spirometry between 2000 and 2014. FVC < 60% of… More >

Tarek Alsaied¹, Jouke P. Bokma², Mark E. Engel³, Joey M. Kuijpers², Samuel P. Hanke¹, Liesl Zuhlke⁴, Bin Zhang⁵, Gruschen R. Veldtman⁶

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.12, No.4, pp. 393-398, 2017, DOI:10.1111/chd.12468

Abstract Background: Reported long-term outcome measures vary greatly between studies in Fontan patients making comprehensive appraisal of mortality hazard challenging. We sought to create a clinical risk score to assist monitoring of Fontan patients in the outpatient setting.
Methods: A systematic review was conducted to evaluate risk factors for long-term (beyond the first postoperative year) mortality in Fontan patients. Studies were eligible for inclusion if ≥90 patients were included or ≥20 long-term mortalities we reported. Risk factors for long-term mortality were determined. The pooled hazard ratios were used to create components of a clinical score for long-term mortality using meta-analysis techniques.
… More >

Jana Rubáčková Popelová, MD1,2 | Markéta Tomková1,3 | Jakub Tomek1,4

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.12, No.4, pp. 448-457, 2017, DOI:10.1111/chd.12466

Abstract Objective: The patients after Mustard and Senning corrections of transposition of the great arteries (TGA) are at an increased risk of unexpected death. The aim of this study was to identify markers allowing risk stratification of patients after atrial switch correction of TGA to provide them with optimum care.
Methods and Results: In this study, 87 patients were retrospectively evaluated after atrial switch correction of TGA followed-up between 2005 and 2015. The mortality during the follow-up was 9% (8 cardiac deaths). Markers significantly predictive of death using univariable Cox proportional hazard ratio survival analysis were: N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP),… More >

Waldemar F. Carlo¹, James F. Cnota², Robert J. Dabal³, Jeffrey B. Anderson²

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.12, No.3, pp. 315-321, 2017, DOI:10.1111/chd.12442

Abstract Objective: The National Pediatric Cardiology Quality Improvement Collaborative (NPC-QIC) was established in 2008 to improve outcomes of hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) during the interstage period. They evaluated changes in patient variables and practice variation between early and late eras.
Design: Data including demographic, operative, discharge, and follow-up variables from the first 100 patients (6/2008–1/2010) representing 18 centers were compared with the most recent 100 patients (1/2014–11/2014) from these same centers.
Results: Prenatal diagnosis increased from 69% to 82% (P = .05). There were no differences in gestational age or weight at Norwood. A composite of any preoperative risk factor… More >

Keri M. Shafer^1,2, Alexander R. Opotowsky^1,2, Jonathan Rhodes¹

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.6, pp. 903-910, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12661

Abstract Objective: Risk prediction using cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) in complex congenital heart disease tends to either focus on single diagnoses or complete cohorts. We aimed to evaluate patients with two distinct anatomies cared for at a single institution over the same time period to determine CPET variables associated with mortality.
Design: All Fontan and tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) subjects with CPET between November 1, 2002 and December 31, 2014 and subsequently died were identified (cases). Cases were matched 1:3 to controls with similar age, underlying anatomy and timing of exercise test.
Results: Of the 42 cases, 27 had a Fontan… More >

Juan Jesús Sánchez‐Barriga

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.5, pp. 690-699, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12631

Abstract Background: Congenital heart disease (CHD) represents a global health problem. In Mexico, in children <1 year of age it is the second cause of mortality. The aim was to determine mortality trends from CHD and the great vessels in children and adults nationwide, by state and socioeconomic region.
Methods: Records of mortality associated to CHD and the great vessels for 2000‐2015 were obtained from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography. This information is collected from death certificates issued nationwide. International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision, codes corresponding to the basic cause of death from CHD and the great vessels.… More >

Shahnawaz M. Amdani¹, Muhammad Umair M. Mian², Ron L. Thomas³, Robert D. Ross⁴

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.4, pp. 499-505, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12601

Abstract Aim: To evaluate predictors of morbidity and mortality in pediatric patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH), laboratory and echocardiographic measures of PH were analyzed.
Methods: A retrospective review of all infants and children< 2 years of age with PH from January 2011 to August 2016 was conducted. Correlations were determined using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients. Differences in characteristics between survivors and nonsurvivors were analyzed and Kaplan-Meier survival curves were generated.
Results: Of 56 patients, the majority were extremely premature; of African American ethnicity; and had bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Patients who died were more likely to have underlying congenital heart disease; have a… More >

Rohit S. Loomba^1,2, Andrew N. Pelech^1,2

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.1, pp. 92-97, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12510

Abstract Background: Pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum is a unique congenital malformation of the heart in which patients may undergo single-, two- or 1½- ventricle repair. Size of the tricuspid valve annulus, morphology of the right ventricle and presence of ventriculocoronary connections can all impact the selection of appropriate palliative strategy. We developed the aortic perfusion score, a novel scoring system based on anterograde coronary perfusion with the aim of being able to identify patients at risk for death or transplant.
Methods: A retrospective study was conducted. Patients were included if an initial catheterization was done prior to any intervention.… 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 >… 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 without a HAI.… More >