The number of patients surviving with congenital heart disease (CHD) has soared over the last 3 decades. Adults constitute the fastest-growing segment of the CHD population, now outnumbering ...children. Research to date on the heart-brain intersection in this population has been focused largely on neurodevelopmental outcomes in childhood and adolescence. Mutations in genes that are highly expressed in heart and brain may cause cerebral dysgenesis. Together with altered cerebral perfusion in utero, these factors are associated with abnormalities of brain structure and brain immaturity in a significant portion of neonates with critical CHD even before they undergo cardiac surgery. In infancy and childhood, the brain may be affected by risk factors related to heart disease itself or to its interventional treatments. As children with CHD become adults, they increasingly develop heart failure, atrial fibrillation, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and coronary disease. These acquired cardiovascular comorbidities can be expected to have effects similar to those in the general population on cerebral blood flow, brain volumes, and dementia. In both children and adults, cardiovascular disease may have adverse effects on achievement, executive function, memory, language, social interactions, and quality of life. Against the backdrop of shifting demographics, risk factors for brain injury in the CHD population are cumulative and synergistic. As neurodevelopmental sequelae in children with CHD evolve to cognitive decline or dementia during adulthood, a growing population of CHD can be expected to require support services. We highlight evidence gaps and future research directions.
BACKGROUND:In the SVR trial (Single Ventricle Reconstruction), 1-year transplant-free survival was better for the Norwood procedure with right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery shunt (RVPAS) compared ...with a modified Blalock–Taussig shunt in patients with hypoplastic left heart and related syndromes. At 6 years, we compared transplant-free survival and other outcomes between the groups.
METHODS:Medical history was collected annually using medical record review, telephone interviews, and the death index. The cohort included 549 patients randomized and treated in the SVR trial.
RESULTS:Transplant-free survival for the RVPAS versus modified Blalock–Taussig shunt groups did not differ at 6 years (64% versus 59%, P=0.25) or with all available follow-up of 7.1±1.6 years (log-rank P=0.13). The RVPAS versus modified Blalock–Taussig shunt treatment effect had nonproportional hazards (P=0.009); the hazard ratio (HR) for death or transplant favored the RVPAS before stage II surgery (HR, 0.66; 95% confidence interval, 0.48–0.92). The effect of shunt type on death or transplant was not statistically significant between stage II to Fontan surgery (HR, 1.36; 95% confidence interval, 0.86–2.17; P=0.17) or after the Fontan procedure (HR, 0.76; 95% confidence interval, 0.33–1.74; P=0.52). By 6 years, patients with RVPAS had a higher incidence of catheter interventions (0.38 versus 0.23/patient-year, P<0.001), primarily because of more interventions between the stage II and Fontan procedures (HR, 1.72; 95% confidence interval, 1.00–3.03). Complications did not differ by shunt type; by 6 years, 1 in 5 patients had had a thrombotic event, and 1 in 6 had had seizures.
CONCLUSIONS:By 6 years, the hazards of death or transplant and catheter interventions were not different between the RVPAS versus modified Blalock–Taussig shunt groups. Children assigned to the RVPAS group had 5% higher transplant-free survival, but the difference did not reach statistical significance, and they required more catheter interventions. Both treatment groups have accrued important complications.
CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION:URLhttps://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifierNCT00115934.
Data regarding long-term outcomes after the arterial switch operation for D-transposition of the great arteries are scarce.
A single-institution retrospective cohort study was conducted to assess ...cardiovascular outcomes after an arterial switch operation between 1983 and 1999. Patients without follow-up visits within 3 years were contacted and secondary sources of information obtained. Overall, 400 patients, 154 (38.3%) with a ventricular septal defect, 238 (59.5%) with an intact septum, and 9 (2.3%) with a Taussig-Bing anomaly, were followed for a median of 18.7 years. In perioperative survivors, overall and arrhythmia-free survival rates at 25 years were 96.7±1.8% and 96.6±0.1%, respectively. Late mortality was predominantly a result of sudden deaths and myocardial infarction. At 25 years, 75.5±2.5% remained free from surgical or catheter-based reintervention. Freedom from an adverse cardiovascular event was 92.9±1.9% at 25 years. Independent predictors were a single right coronary artery (hazard ratio, 4.58; 95% confidence interval, 1.32-15.90), P=0.0166) and postoperative heart failure (hazard ratio, 6.93; 95% confidence interval, 1.57-30.62; P=0.0107). At last follow-up, the left ventricular ejection fraction was 60.3±8.9%, 97.3% had class I symptoms, and 5.2% obstructive coronary artery disease. Peak oxygen uptake was 35.1±7.6 mL/kg/min (86.1±15.1% predicted), with a chronotropic index <80% in 34.2%. At least moderate neoaortic and pulmonary regurgitation were present in 3.4% and 6.6%, respectively, and more than mild neoaortic and pulmonary stenosis in 3.2% and 10.3%.
Long-term and arrhythmia-free survival is excellent after arterial switch operation. Although sequelae include chronotropic incompetence and neoaortic, pulmonary, and coronary artery complications, most patients maintain normal systolic function and exercise capacity.
It has been 50 years since Francis Fontan pioneered the operation that today bears his name. Initially designed for patients with tricuspid atresia, this procedure is now offered for a vast array of ...congenital cardiac lesions when a circulation with 2 ventricles cannot be achieved. As a result of technical advances and improvements in patient selection and perioperative management, survival has steadily increased, and it is estimated that patients operated on today may hope for a 30-year survival of >80%. Up to 70 000 patients may be alive worldwide today with Fontan circulation, and this population is expected to double in the next 20 years. In the absence of a subpulmonary ventricle, Fontan circulation is characterized by chronically elevated systemic venous pressures and decreased cardiac output. The addition of this acquired abnormal circulation to innate abnormalities associated with single-ventricle congenital heart disease exposes these patients to a variety of complications. Circulatory failure, ventricular dysfunction, atrioventricular valve regurgitation, arrhythmia, protein-losing enteropathy, and plastic bronchitis are potential complications of the Fontan circulation. Abnormalities in body composition, bone structure, and growth have been detected. Liver fibrosis and renal dysfunction are common and may progress over time. Cognitive, neuropsychological, and behavioral deficits are highly prevalent. As a testimony to the success of the current strategy of care, the proportion of adults with Fontan circulation is increasing. Healthcare providers are ill-prepared to tackle these challenges, as well as specific needs such as contraception and pregnancy in female patients. The role of therapies such as cardiovascular drugs to prevent and treat complications, heart transplantation, and mechanical circulatory support remains undetermined. There is a clear need for consensus on how best to follow up patients with Fontan circulation and to treat their complications. This American Heart Association statement summarizes the current state of knowledge on the Fontan circulation and its consequences. A proposed surveillance testing toolkit provides recommendations for a range of acceptable approaches to follow-up care for the patient with Fontan circulation. Gaps in knowledge and areas for future focus of investigation are highlighted, with the objective of laying the groundwork for creating a normal quality and duration of life for these unique individuals.
Neurodevelopmental impairment is common in children with congenital heart disease (CHD), but postnatal variables explain only 30% of the variance in outcomes. To explore whether the antecedents for ...neurodevelopmental disabilities might begin in utero, we analyzed whether fetal brain volume predicted subsequent neurodevelopmental outcome in children with CHD.
Fetuses with isolated CHD and sociodemographically comparable healthy control fetuses underwent fetal brain magnetic resonance imaging and 2-year neurodevelopmental evaluation with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (Bayley-III) and the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System, Third Edition (ABAS-3). Hierarchical regression evaluated potential predictors of Bayley-III and ABAS-3 outcomes in the CHD group, including fetal total brain volume adjusted for gestational age and sex, sociodemographic characteristics, birth measures, and medical history.
The CHD group (n=52) had lower Bayley-III cognitive, language, and motor scores than the control group (n=26), but fetal brain volumes were similar. Within the CHD group, larger fetal total brain volume correlated with higher Bayley-III cognitive, language, and motor scores and ABAS-3 adaptive functioning scores (
=0.32-0.47; all
<0.05), but this was not noted in the control group. Fetal brain volume predicted 10% to 21% of the variance in neurodevelopmental outcome measures in univariate analyses. Multivariable models that also included social class and postnatal factors explained 18% to 45% of the variance in outcome, depending on developmental domain. Moreover, in final multivariable models, fetal brain volume was the most consistent predictor of neurodevelopmental outcome across domains.
Small fetal brain volume is a strong independent predictor of 2-year neurodevelopmental outcomes and may be an important imaging biomarker of future neurodevelopmental risk in CHD. Future studies are needed to support this hypothesis. Our findings support inclusion of fetal brain volume in risk stratification models and as a possible outcome in fetal neuroprotective intervention studies.
Neurodevelopmental disability is the most common complication for survivors of surgery for congenital heart disease (CHD).
We analyzed individual participant data from studies of children evaluated ...with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, second edition, after cardiac surgery between 1996 and 2009. The primary outcome was Psychomotor Development Index (PDI), and the secondary outcome was Mental Development Index (MDI).
Among 1770 subjects from 22 institutions, assessed at age 14.5 ± 3.7 months, PDIs and MDIs (77.6 ± 18.8 and 88.2 ± 16.7, respectively) were lower than normative means (each P < .001). Later calendar year of birth was associated with an increased proportion of high-risk infants (complexity of CHD and prevalence of genetic/extracardiac anomalies). After adjustment for center and type of CHD, later year of birth was not significantly associated with better PDI or MDI. Risk factors for lower PDI were lower birth weight, white race, and presence of a genetic/extracardiac anomaly (all P ≤ .01). After adjustment for these factors, PDIs improved over time (0.39 points/year, 95% confidence interval 0.01 to 0.78; P = .045). Risk factors for lower MDI were lower birth weight, male gender, less maternal education, and presence of a genetic/extracardiac anomaly (all P < .001). After adjustment for these factors, MDIs improved over time (0.38 points/year, 95% confidence interval 0.05 to 0.71; P = .02).
Early neurodevelopmental outcomes for survivors of cardiac surgery in infancy have improved modestly over time, but only after adjustment for innate patient risk factors. As more high-risk CHD infants undergo cardiac surgery and survive, a growing population will require significant societal resources.
Objectives To investigate the long-term impact of early-term birth (37-38 weeks' gestation) relative to full-term birth (≥39 weeks' gestation) on neurodevelopmental and psychiatric outcomes in ...adolescents with single-ventricle congenital heart disease (CHD). Study design This cross-sectional cohort study analyzed retrospective medical records from full term adolescents with single-ventricle CHD who underwent the Fontan procedure. Participants underwent neurodevelopmental and psychiatric evaluations, as well as structural brain magnetic resonance imaging. Early-term born adolescents were compared with full-term born adolescents using regression models with adjustments for family social status, birth weight, and genetic abnormality status. Medical and demographic risk factors were examined as well. Results Compared with the full-term group (n = 100), adolescents born early term (n = 33) scored significantly worse on daily-life executive functions, as measured by the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function parent-report (mean scores: early term, 62.0 ± 10.9; full-term, 55.6 ± 12.2; P = .009) and self-report ( P = .02) composites. Adolescents born early term were more likely than those born full term to have a lifetime attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis (early term, 55%; full term, 26%; P = .001). The early-term group also displayed greater psychiatric symptom severity, as indicated by the clinician-reported Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (mean score: early term, 16.1 ± 8.6; full-term, 12.5 ± 8.2; P = .007). Conclusion Early-term birth is associated with greater prevalence of executive dysfunction, ADHD diagnosis, and psychiatric problems in adolescents with single-ventricle CHD. Early-term birth should be included as a potential risk factor in the algorithm for closer developmental surveillance in CHD.
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