Congenital Heart Disease with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia: Surgical Decision Making and Outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the types of congenital heart disease (CHD) in a congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) cohort in a large volume center and evaluate surgical decision making and outcomes based on complexity of CHD and associated conditions. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective review of patients with CHD and CDH diagnosed by echocardiogram between 01/01/2005 and 07/31/2021. The cohort was divided into 2 groups based on survival at discharge. RESULTS: Clinically important CHD was diagnosed in 19% (62/326) of CDH patients. There was 90% (18/20) survival in children undergoing surgery for both CHD and CDH as neonates, and 87.5 (22/24) in those undergoing repair initially for CDH alone. A genetic anomaly identified on clinical testing was noted in 16% with no significant association with survival. A higher frequency of other organ system anomalies was noted in nonsurvivors compared with survivors. Nonsurvivors were more likely to have unrepaired CDH (69% vs 0%, P < .001) and unrepaired CHD (88% vs 54%, P < .05), reflecting a decision not to offer surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Survival was excellent in patients who underwent repair of both CHD and CDH. Patients with univentricular physiology have poor survival and this finding should be incorporated into pre and postnatal counseling about eligibility for surgery. In contrast, patients with other complex lesions including transposition of the great arteries have excellent outcomes and survival at 5 years follow-up at a large pediatric and cardiothoracic surgical center.

Quadratic relationship between systolic blood pressure and white matter lesions in individuals with hypertension.

BACKGROUND: There is a well documented relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and the development of brain injury, which can lead to cognitive dysfunction. Hypertension (HTN) is a condition increasing the risk of silent and symptomatic ischemic brain lesions. Although benefits of hypertension treatment are indisputable, the target blood pressure value where the possibility of tissue damage is most reduced remains under debate. METHOD: Our group performed a cross-sectional ( n  = 376) and longitudinal ( n  = 188) study of individuals without dementia or stroke (60% women n  = 228, age 68.5 ±â€Š7.4 years; men n  = 148, age 70.7 ±â€Š6.9 years). Participants were split into hypertensive ( n  = 169) and normotensive ( n  = 207) groups. MR images were obtained on a 3T system. Linear modeling was performed in hypertensive and normotensive cohorts to investigate the relationship between systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure, white matter lesion (WML), and brain volumes. RESULTS: Participants in the hypertensive cohort showed a quadratic relationship between SBP and WML, with the lowest amounts of WML being measured in participants with readings at approximately 124 mmHg. Additionally, the hypertensive cohort also exhibited a quadratic relationship between DBP and mean hippocampal volume; participants with readings at approximately 77 mmHg showing the largest volumes. Longitudinally, all groups experienced WML growth, despite different BP trajectories, further suggesting that WML expansion may occur despite or because of BP reduction in individuals with compromised vascular system. CONCLUSION: Overall, our study suggests that in the hypertensive group there is a valley of mid-range blood pressures displaying less pathology in the brain.

Maternal Hyperoxygenation Testing in Fetuses with Hypoplastic Left-Heart Syndrome: Association with Postnatal Atrial Septal Restriction.

INTRODUCTION: In fetuses with hypoplastic left-heart syndrome (HLHS), maternal hyperoxygenation (MHO) may aid risk stratification. We hypothesized that pulmonary vein (Pvein) velocity time integral (VTI) change with MHO would more reliably identify neonates who undergo emergent atrial septoplasty (EAS) than changes in pulmonary arterial pulsatility index (PA PI). METHODS: Fetuses with HLHS who underwent MHO testing at our institution between 2014 and 2019 were identified. Data were reviewed in a blinded, retrospective manner. Pvein VTI ratio (prograde:retrograde) was calculated. The primary outcome was neonatal EAS. RESULTS: Twenty-seven HLHS fetuses underwent MHO, and 5 (19%) underwent EAS. Without MHO, a Pvein VTI ratio <3 conferred 60% sensitivity and 100% specificity for EAS. With MHO, a Pvein VTI ratio <6.5 conferred 100% sensitivity and specificity. For an intermediate group of fetuses with a baseline Pvein VTI ratio 3-7, the ratio decrease with MHO conferred 100% sensitivity and specificity. Compared to the Pvein VTI ratio, PA PI was less accurate in identifying EAS neonates. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Addition of MHO appears to improve the diagnostic ability of the Pvein VTI ratio to identify HLHS fetuses who undergo EAS. The Pvein VTI ratio change may more accurately identify fetuses who undergo EAS than change in PA PI and has less interobserver variability.

In fetuses with congenital lung masses, decreased ventricular and atrioventricular valve dimensions are associated with lesion size and clinical outcome.

INTRODUCTION: The clinical importance of mass effect from congenital lung masses on the fetal heart is unknown. We aimed to report cardiac measurements in fetuses with congenital lung masses and to correlate lung mass severity/size with cardiac dimensions and clinical outcomes. METHODS: Cases were identified from our institutional database between 2009 and 2016. We recorded atrioventricular valve (AVVz) annulus dimensions and ventricular widths (VWz) converted into z scores, ratio of aortic to total cardiac output (AoCO), lesion side, and congenital pulmonary airway malformation volume ratio (CVR). Respiratory intervention (RI) was defined as intubation, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), or use of surgical intervention prior to discharge. RESULTS: Fifty-two fetuses comprised the study cohort. Mean AVVz and VWz were below expected for gestational age. CVR correlated with ipsilateral AVVz (RS = -.59, P < .001) and ipsilateral VWz (-0.59, P < .001). Lower AVVz and AoCO and higher CVR were associated with RI. No patient had significant structural heart disease identified postnatally. CONCLUSION: In fetuses with left-sided lung masses, ipsilateral cardiac structures tend to be smaller, but in our cohort, there were no patients with structural heart disease. However, smaller left-sided structures may contribute to the need for RI that affects a portion of these fetuses.

Longitudinal Analysis of Echocardiographic Abnormalities in Children With Sickle Cell Disease.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac abnormalities have been described in echocardiograms of children with sickle cell disease (SCD). However, longitudinal studies investigating progression of echocardiographic abnormalities across the pediatric age spectrum in SCD are lacking. METHODS: A retrospective longitudinal analysis of 829 echocardiograms from pediatric patients with SCD at steady-state was performed. Left heart parameters included left ventricular end-systolic, end-diastolic diameters, fractional shortening, and mass. Right ventricular pressure was estimated by tricuspid regurgitation gradient. Tricuspid regurgitation gradient ≥25 mm Hg, a z-score ≥2 for LV parameters and ≤-2 for left ventricular fractional shortening were considered abnormal. RESULTS: Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that echocardiographic abnormalities were detected by 5 years of age, and the cumulative incidence progressively increased throughout childhood. Age, male gender, HbSS and Sß thalassemia genotype, white blood cell count, platelet count, total bilirubin, admissions for pain crises and acute chest syndrome were positively, whereas hemoglobin was negatively associated with cardiac abnormalities. CONCLUSION: Cardiac abnormalities began early in childhood and progressively increased with age. Our study highlights the high cumulative incidence of cardiac abnormalities in children with SCD, which could represent a marker of disease severity.