Barry O’Callaghan¹, Jenny Zablah¹, Joseph Vettukattil², Daniel Levi^3,4, Morris Salem⁴, Allison Cabalka⁵, Jason Anderson⁶, Makram Ebeid⁶, Ryan Alexy⁷, Gareth J. Morgan^1,*

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.17, No.1, pp. 107-116, 2022, DOI:10.32604/CHD.2022.018590 - 26 October 2021

Abstract Objectives: To detail the US multi-institutional experience with the Occlutech^© (Occlutech International AB, Helsingborg, Sweden) atrial flow regulator (AFR) in children and adults with acquired or congenital heart disease. Background: The creation of a long-term atrial communication is desirable in several cardiovascular disease phenotypes, most notably pulmonary arterial hypertension, disorders of increased left ventricular filling and increased cavopulmonary pressures in patients with a Fontan type circulation. Methods: Patients were identified for inclusion from the AFR device manufacturer database. Data was collected using a RedCap database following IRB approval. 8 weeks of follow up data was sought for… More >

Liping Wang, Mingjie Zhang, Xi Chen, Yachang Pang, Jiaqi Liu, Zhuoming Xu^*

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.17, No.1, pp. 87-97, 2022, DOI:10.32604/CHD.2022.018452 - 26 October 2021

Abstract Background: Reversibility of pulmonary hypertension (PH) is closely related to the treatment options for and prognosis of children with congenital heart disease. Objective: We combined patient-specific clinical features including diagnosis, age and echocardiographic results, and biomarkers of pulmonary vascular dysfunction to explore the noninvasive methods that can be used to accurately evaluate the reversibility of pulmonary hypertension in congenital heart disease (PH-CHD). Methods: Based on the preoperative systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (sPAP), 70 CHD patients were divided into normal, PH-CHD suspected, and confirmed groups. Additionally, biomarkers of circulating endothelial cells (CECs), endothelin-1 (ET-1), and endothelial nitric oxide… More >

Huaying He^1,2, Zhiyong Lin^1,2, Yuelan Weng^1,2, Jianjie Zhou^1,2, Man Ye^1,2, Xiaowei Luo^1,2, Qifeng Zhao^1,2,*

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.16, No.6, pp. 655-673, 2021, DOI:10.32604/CHD.2021.016054 - 08 July 2021

Abstract Background: To achieve successful management of infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) together with pulmonary hypertension (PH), postoperative care, especially feeding care is vital in addition to surgery. Postoperative feeding is comprised of three stages: feeding in the intensive care unit, feeding in the general ward and family feeding, in which the general ward is considered as the “transitional stage”. At present, there is little research on the optimal mode of feeding care for the transitional stage, and there is no universally recognized and accepted protocol. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 114 CHD infants with PH who… More >

Dongdong Zheng^1,#, Chi Shen^1,2,#, Wenshi Liu¹, Wenjing Lv¹, Xiaofei Li^1,*

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.16, No.4, pp. 373-381, 2021, DOI:10.32604/CHD.2021.015260 - 19 April 2021

Abstract Objectives: Pulmonary arterial hypertension in congenital heart disease (PAH-CHD) is the most common type of PAH and increases morbidity and mortality in patients with CHD. Right heart catheterization (RHC) is the standard method to diagnose PAH. However, RHC is an invasive and complicated method with relatively high cost. Noninvasive, feasible, and cost-efficient methods are urgently needed. The objective of this study was to evaluate three potential biomarkers of PAH-CHD: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), osteopontin (OPN), and suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2). Methods: Plasma samples were collected from patients with CHD (n = 46) and healthy individuals (n… More >

Samuel Menahem^1,2,*, Arvind Sehgal^3,4

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.16, No.2, pp. 189-196, 2021, DOI:10.32604/CHD.2021.014903 - 26 January 2021

Abstract Most congenital heart disease (CHD) is readily recognisable in the newborn. Forewarned by previous fetal scanning, the presence of a murmur, tachypnoea, cyanosis and/or differential pulses and saturations all point to a cardiac abnormality. Yet serious heart disease may be missed on a fetal scan. There may be no murmur or clinical cyanosis, and tachypneoa may be attributed to non-cardiac causes. Tachypnoea on day 1 is usually non-cardiac except arising from ventricular failure or a large systemic arteriovenous fistula. A patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) may support either pulmonary or systemic duct dependent circulations. The initially… More >

Masataka Ogiso^1,2, Kei Inai^1,*, Morio Shoda², Nobuhisa Hagiwara², Hisashi Sugiyama¹

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.15, No.6, pp. 483-493, 2020, DOI:10.32604/CHD.2020.013058 - 02 November 2020

Abstract Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is one of the complications that can occur after the atrial switch procedure for transposition of the great arteries (TGA). This study aimed to assess the characteristics and prognosis of late-onset PH after the atrial switch procedure using catheterization data. Methods and Results: We retrospectively identified 40 patients with TGA after the atrial switch procedure that underwent catheterization between April 2007 and March 2020. Eligible patients were divided into two groups based on PH presence (PH group, n = 13 [33%]; non-PH group, n = 27 [67%]). Adverse events were defined as cardiac… More >

Liesbeth van Dessel¹, Béatrice Santens², Els Troost², Pieter De Meester^2,3, Leen Roggen², Filip Rega^3,4, Bart Meyns^3,4, Bjorn Cools⁵, Marc Gewillig⁵, Philip Moons^6,7,8, Lukas Meier⁹, Werner Budts^2,3, Alexander Van De Bruaene^2,3,*

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.15, No.2, pp. 69-78, 2020, DOI:10.32604/CHD.2020.011512 - 23 June 2020

Abstract Background: Left-to-right shunt in sinus venosus septal defect (SVSD) may affect resistive (pulmonary vascular resistance–PVR) and elastic (pulmonary artery compliance-PAC) pulmonary artery properties. This study aimed at evaluating (1) impact of age, (2) pulmonary hemodynamics, and (3) outcome in a large cohort of SVSD patients. Methods: This study included 136 patients with SVSD (median age at diagnosis 14 (IQR 5–48) years, 47% male) of which 87 underwent catheterization. Pressures were measured and cardiac output was evaluated using the Fick principle at diagnosis. PVR, PAC and their product (RC time) were calculated. Results: Surgical repair was performed in… More >

Daniel McLennan, Dunbar Ivy, Gareth J. Morgan

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.14, No.5, pp. 819-831, 2019, DOI:10.1111/chd.12816

Abstract Aims: To evaluate in domestic pigs the histopathological processes after implanting the Occlutech Atrial Flow Regulator (AFR).
Methods and Results: Eleven pigs were chosen and had successful implantation of the AFR. Five pigs were sacrificed at 28 days, and 5 pigs at 90 days. One pig was sacrificed at day 3 after device embolization. Each pig had echocardiography performed at 3 weeks to check patency. Post mortem evaluation included Gross evaluation, radiographic evaluation, histology, and electron microscopy. Nine of the 10 devices implanted remained patent at time of autopsy with no thrombus and minimal inflammation. One device More >

Xing Chen, Wu Zhou, Qinghua Hu, Lingjin Huang

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.14, No.3, pp. 396-402, 2019, DOI:10.1111/chd.12733

Abstract Objective: This study explores the role of the Notch3‐HES5 signal pathway in mono‐ crotaline‐induced pulmonary hypertension (PH) using rat models.
Method: Sprague Dawley rats (n = 45) were randomly grouped into normal group, control group, and model group. Rats in the model group were used to establish the PH rat model. Four weeks after model establishment, right catheterization was used to measure the mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) and right ventricular sys‐ tolic pressure (RVSP) to analyze hemodynamic changes. The severity of PH was as‐ sessed by the right ventricular hypertrophy index (RVHI) and percentage of media… More >

Mariana M. Clavé¹, Nair Y. Maeda², Ana M. Thomaz¹, Sergio P. Bydlowski³, Antonio A. Lopes¹

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.14, No.2, pp. 246-255, 2019, DOI:10.1111/chd.12688

Abstract Background: Ideally, vasodilator therapies for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) should have a favorable impact on markers of vascular dysfunction, in addition to their known effects on hemodynamics, cardiac function, and patient’s physical capacity.
Methods: We analyzed circulating (plasma) markers of endothelial and platelet activation/dys‐ function (enzyme‐linked immunoassays) in the specific setting of advanced PAH associated with congenital heart disease, during the course of sildenafil and tadalafil therapies. Thirty‐one patients were enrolled (age 10‐54 years), most of them with chronic hypoxemia and elevated hematocrit. Drugs were administered orally for 6 months (sildenafil [n = 16], 20 mg t.i.d.;… More >