Association of Congenital Heart Defects (CHD) with Factors Related to Maternal Health and Pregnancy in Newborns in Puerto Rico

Background:Given the pervasive issues of obesity and diabetes both in Puerto Rico and the broader United States,there is a compelling need to investigate the intricate interplay among body mass index(BMI),pregesta-tional,and gestational maternal diabetes,and their potential impact on the occurrence of congenital heart defects(CHD)during neonatal development.Methods:Using the comprehensive System of Vigilance and Surveillance of Congenital Defects in Puerto Rico,we conducted a focused analysis on neonates diagnosed with CHD between 2016 and 2020.Our assessment encompassed a range of variables,including maternal age,gestational age,BMI,pregestational diabetes,gestational diabetes,hypertension,history of abortion,and presence of preeclampsia.Results:A cohort of 673 patients was included in our study.The average maternal age was 26 years,within a range of 22 to 32 years.The mean gestational age measured 39 weeks,with a median span of 38 to 39 weeks.Of the 673 patients,274(41%)mothers gave birth to neonates diagnosed with CHD.Within this group,22 cases were linked to pre-gestational diabetes,while 202 were not;20 instances were associated with gestational diabetes,compared to 200 without;and 148 cases exhibited an overweight or obese BMI,whereas 126 displayed a normal BMI.Conclusion:We identified a statistically significant correlation between pre-gestational diabetes mellitus and the occurrence of CHD.However,our analysis did not show a statistically significant association between maternal BMI and the likelihood of CHD.These results may aid in developing effective strategies to prevent and manage CHD in neonates.

Right Axillary Thoracotomy Should Be the Standard of Care for Repair of Non-Complex Congenital Heart Defects in Infants and Children

Minimally invasive approaches for cardiac surgery in children have been lagging in comparison to the adult world.A wide range of the most common congenital heart defects in infants and children can be repaired suc-cessfully through a variety of non-sternotomy incisions.This has been shown to be associated with superior cos-metic results,shorter hospital stays,and rapid return to full activity compared to sternotomy.These approaches have been around for decades,but they have not been widely adopted for a variety of reasons.Right axillary thor-acotomy is one of these approaches that we believe should be the new standard for the repair of a wide variety of heart defects in children and will be the focus of our current review.

Maternal Vascular Dysfunction in Congenital Heart Defects

Background:Research on fetal congenital heart defect(CHD)mostly focuses on etiology and mechanisms.However,studies on maternal complications or pathophysiology are limited.Our objective was to determine whether vascular dysfunction exists in pregnant women carrying a fetus with congenital heart defects.Methods:We conducted a case-control study.27 cases of pregnant women carrying a fetus with major CHD admitted to our hospital for delivery between April 2021 and August 2022 were selected.Every case was matched with about 2 pregnant complication-free controls without fetal abnormalities.The proangiogenic and anti-angiogenic factors and pregnancy outcomes were compared.Results:The proangiogenic factors include vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)and placental growth factor(PlGF).The anti-angiogenic factors involve soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1(sFlt-1)and soluble endoglin(sEng).No differences were found in maternal plasma concentrations of PlGF,VEGF,and sFlt-1 between case-control groups when analyzed at 36 weeks≤gestational age(GA)<39 weeks and 39 weeks≤GA≤41 weeks.The concentrations of sEng in maternal plasma in the fetal CHD group were significantly higher than those in the control group:0.60(0.77)vs.0.32(0.26)ng/ml at 36 weeks≤GA<39 weeks,p=0.001 and 0.75(0.55)vs.0.28(0.27)ng/ml at 39 weeks≤GA≤41 weeks,p<0.001.Conclusion:Vascular dysfunction exists in pregnant women with fetal congenital heart defects,manifesting significantly elevated sEng concentration at delivery.

Real-Time Remote-Mentored Echocardiography in Management of Newborns with Critical Congenital Heart Defects

Background:The management of suspected critical congenital heart defects(CCHD)relies on timely echocardiographic diagnosis.The availability of experienced echocardiographers is limited or even non-existent in many hospitals with obstetric units.This study evaluates remote-mentored echocardiography performed by physicians without experience in imaging of congenital heart defects(CHD).Methods:The setup included a pediatric cardiologist in a separate room,guiding a physician without experience in echocardiographic imaging of CHD in the examination of a symptomatic newborn.This remote-mentoring pair was blinded to the diagnosis of the newborn and presented with a simplified patient history.The echocardiographic images were streamed to the laptop of the mentor,along with a webcam feed showing the probe position.The task was to identify CCHD in need of immediate transfer to a pediatric cardiac surgical center.The result was compared to the previously completed echocardiographic report and the clinical decision of the patient-responsible pediatric cardiologist.Results:During 17 months,15 newborns were recruited.All six newborns with CCHD were correctly labeled by the remotementoring pair.One newborn with Tetralogy of Fallot was erroneously labeled as needing immediate transfer.Eight newborns without CCHD were correctly labeled.Conclusions:Remote-mentored echocardiography performed by examiners without experience in imaging CHD identified all newborns with CCHD in need of immediate transfer for specialist care.The setup shows promising results for improving the management of CCHD in hospitals without continuous pediatric cardiology service.

Circulating microRNAs as potential biomarkers for diagnosis of congenital heart defects

BACKGROUND: Micro RNAs are small non-coding RNAs of approximately 22 nucleotides in length, and play important regulatory roles in normal heart development and the pathogenesis of heart diseases. Recently, a few prospective studies have implicated the diagnostic role of micro RNAs in congenital heart defects(CHD).DATA RESOURCES: This review retrieved the research articles in Pub Med focusing on the altered microR NAs in cardiac tissue or serum of patients with CHD versus healthy normal controls, as well as the studies exploring circulating microR NAs as potential biomarkers for(fetal) CHD.RESULTS: Most of the studies of interest were conducted in recent years, implicating that the topic in this review is a newly emerging field and is drawing much attention. Moreover, a number of differentially expressed microR NAs between CHD specimens and normal controls have been reported.CONCLUSION: Circulating micro RNAs may serve as potential biomarkers for diagnosis of CHD in the future, with more efforts paving the road to the aim.

Current Advances in Transcatheter Intervention for Children Born with Congenital Heart Defects: A Review of Literature

This review aims to sum up the improvements witnessed in the field of interventional cardiology during recent times. The last decade has witnessed significant technical advances in the field of radiological imaging and also in interventional cardiology which has helped to offer more non-invasive solutions for the management of congenital heart defects. This has resulted from the use of advanced 3-dimensional fusion imaging instead of conventional 2-dimensional angiography, applying interactive real-time enhancement and using computed tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging for interventional procedures. Similarly the introduction of next generation devices, have not only improved the final outcome of the procedure but also has helped in reducing the challenges that were faced before and with the initial generation of devices. These advances have helped not only in reducing the radiation exposure, the use of contrast medium dose but also have resulted in improved early survival. The field of neonatal cardiology has advanced at an unprecedented pace. The transcatheter closure of patent ductus arteriosus has evolved over time and now it has been made possible at much lower body weight. Similarly, early use of stents for aortic coarctation has been found effective in some patients, especially when surgical intervention had been denied. The application of the hybrid approach for the management of complex congenital heart defects has also been effectively applied. More recently transcatheter placement of the pulmonary valve has been introduced for severely stenotic and/or regurgitant pulmonary valve in adolescents and adults. It is anticipated that in near future, this procedure would be available for relatively younger patients. In conclusion: last 2 decades have improvised pediatric interventional cardiology to incorporate less invasive solutions for CHD. The current advances in radio-diagnostic imaging, gadgetry and technical expertise have improved significantly and led to manage many of such defects by trans-catheter approach. This has led also, to replace the early surgical intervention with a more subtle hybrid approach, thus reducing not only the major surgical trauma but also been found to be cost-effective due to a shorter hospital stay. But a learning curve for performers is required for optimum results and also such procedures should be performed in a fully developed facility with an optimum surgical backup.

Morphological Characteristics of the Artery of the Atrioventricular Node by Congenital Heart Defects

The objective of the work is to study the topographic and anatomical characteristics of the atrioventricular node’s artery in complex congenital heart defects.The material for the work was the following:44 specimens including hearts of fetuses and children of the first three years having congenital defects and 50 specimens of the hearts of a similar age with normal development as the control.A complex of generally accepted morphological methods was used to identify the conductive system of the heart,its blood supply.According to the data obtained given congenital heart defects,the artery of the atrioventricular node arises from an artery,that determines the type of blood supply to the heart.With the full form of the common atrioventricular canal,the presence of the“U”-shaped bend of the coronary artery at the point of departure of the atrioventricular artery from it is inconstant,which is apparently due to the localization of the atrioventricular node in the embryonic position.The intensity of the lateral branches from the artery of the atrioventricular node to the heart partitions is determined by the hemodynamic features with congenital heart defects.

Congenital heart defects through 30 years

Aim: To assess basic trends in epidemiology of congenital heart defects (CHDs). Method: Population based prospective observational study. Material: CHDs in infants born alive in a Norwegian county 1982-2011. Results: In 828/71 217 infants (12 per 1000) a CHD was diagnosed. The prevalence increased from 8 to 12 per 1000 after introduction of early echocardiography in newborns with suspected CHD from 1986 (p = 0.0001). Ventricular septal defect (VSD) was the dominating CHD (474;57%). In 222 (27%) the CHDs were missed and diagnosed after discharge from hospital after birth. Twelve critical CHDs (causing death or requiring invasive procedures before 28 days of life) were missed. Prenatal diagnosis of critical CHDs increased from 4/67 (6%) born 1997-2006 to 4/11 (36%) born 2007-2011 (p = 0.01). In 177 (21%) a syndrome or extracardial defect occurred. The occurrence of CHDs associated with chromosomal disorders (60/73 (82%) trisomies) more than doubled from the cohort born in the first 10-year period 1982-1991 (0.6 per 1000) to the last 2002-2011 (1.4 per 1000) (p < 0.0001) in parallel with increasing births in women ≥ 35 years old in the population. 237 (29%) underwent therapeutic procedures (203 (86%) surgery, of whom 16 after initial catheter intervention, and 34 (14%) catheter intervention alone). 39/237 (16%) died, 101 (43%) were repaired and 97 (41%) had some minor residual defect. The death rate declined significantly from 65/532 (12%) born 1982-2001 to 11/296 (4%) born 2002-2011 (p = 0.0001). 37/76 (49%) deaths occurred within 28 days after birth. Conclusions: The rate of detection of CHDs increased substantially after introduction of echocardiography in newborns with suspected CHD, especially VSDs. Some critical CHDs were overlooked. The prenatal detection rate of such defects increased. The prevalence of CHDs with associated chromosomal disorders increased in parallel with increasing maternal age in the population. Most deaths occurred during the neonatal period. Increasing survival increases the load on long-term follow-up programmes.

Family lifestyle factors related to children's congenital heart defects in China:a case-control study

Objective To explore the multiple risk factors for family lifestyle of children with congenital heart defects(CHDs)in Shaanxi Province,China.Methods A 1∶1 case-control study was carried out to investigate 60 pairs of children and their parents.The univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were used to analyze the influence of risk factors related to parents’ lifestyle on CHDs.Results Several possible risk factors were found for CHDs,including fever(OR=4.465,P=0.017),pesticides contact(OR=2.234,P=0.083),passive smoking during pregnancy(OR=20.529,P=0.007)and father’s smoking(OR=3.342,P=0.005);fever(OR=2.428,P=0.012)and passive smoking during pregnancy(OR=1.201,P=0.037)were also correlated with ventricular sepal defect(VSD).Conclusion Fever,pesticides contact and passive smoking are associated with CHDs during pregnancy.We should focus our attention on health care during pregnancy to avoid the above-mentioned risk factors and call on parents to hold on to a good healthy lifestyle.

Association between Maternal Drug Use and Cytochrome P450 Genetic Polymorphisms and the Risk of Congenital Heart Defects in Offspring

Objective This study aimed to assess the associations between maternal drug use,cytochrome P450(CYP450)genetic polymorphisms,and their interactions with the risk of congenital heart defects(CHDs)in offspring.Methods A case-control study involving 569 mothers of CHD cases and 652 controls was conducted from November 2017 to January 2020.Results After adjusting for potential confounding factors,the results show that mothers who used ovulatory drugs(adjusted odds ratio[a OR]=2.12;95% confidence interval[CI]:1.08-4.16),antidepressants(a OR=2.56;95%CI:1.36-4.82),antiabortifacients(a OR=1.55;95%CI:1.00-2.40),or traditional Chinese drugs(a OR=1.97;95%CI:1.26-3.09)during pregnancy were at a significantly higher risk of CHDs in offspring.Maternal CYP450 genetic polymorphisms at rs1065852(A/T vs.A/A:OR=1.53,95%CI:1.10-2.14;T/T vs.A/A:OR=1.57,95%CI:1.07-2.31)and rs16947(G/G vs.C/C:OR=3.41,95%CI:1.82-6.39)were also significantly associated with the risk of CHDs in offspring.Additionally,significant interactions were observed between the CYP450 genetic variants and drug use on the development of CHDs.Conclusions In those of Chinese descent,ovulatory drugs,antidepressants,antiabortifacients,and traditional Chinese medicines may be associated with the risk of CHDs in offspring.Maternal CYP450 genes may regulate the effects of maternal drug exposure on fetal heart development.

Myocardial Protection with Beta Blocker Treatment in Infants with Heart Failure Due to Congenital Heart Defects and Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Our first intention to treat infants’ heart failure with beta blockers was to improve the clinical condition as shown in our prospective randomized trial. We only use non-selective beta blockers in these infants, carvedilol in those with left ventricular dysfunction and propranolol in those with congenital heart disease without ventricular dysfunction. Despite a significant improvement of Ross’s heart failure score, we could not convince most colleagues within the last 25 years if the concept of neurohumoral activation in heart failure is not well-established pediatric cardiology. Recently, Honghai Liu et al. published that cardiomyocyte cytokinesis failure was increased in congenital heart disease. Inactivation of the beta adreno receptors genes and administration of the beta-blocker propranolol increased cardiomyocyte division in neonatal mice, which increased the number of cardiomyocytes (endowment) and conferred benefit after myocardial infarction in adults. We currently realize that propranolol in infants with congenital heart disease not only decrease highly elevated NT-Pro-BNP values but also decrease cardiac troponin T values that may indicate myocardial injury due to neurohumoral activation. We reproduce this observation, primarily seen in infants with congenital heart disease, in an infant with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. These observations were in good accordance with current data from H. Liu et al., who showed that treatment with non-selective beta blockers early after birth might rescue cytokinesis defects and prevent heart dysfunction in adulthood in a mouse model.

Prenatal congenital heart defects in southern China:detection rate and termination of preqnancy,2006-2016

Objective Congenital heart defect (CHD) is one of the most common birth anomalies with high morbidity and mortality. Previous studies of CHD mostly focus on the postnatal prevalence, mortality and successful rate of operation, etc. This study aimed to explore the detection rate of prenatal CHD and CHD factors that attribute to termination of pregnancy (TOP).

Status of Congenital Heart Defects in Nigeria: The Role of Cardiac Surgery

Background: Unlike in developed countries, the delivery of cardiovascular services to children born with congenital heart defects in Nigeria is inadequate. There are problems at both pediatric and adult ages with high morbidity and mortality on account of inadequate surgical care. Objective: To determine the status of congenital defects and assess the impact of foreign cardiac missionary missions vis-à-vis the effects on the magnitude as well as on the educational program for the local cardiac team. Materials and Method: In the last 5.5 years, Foreign Cardiac Surgery missions were reinstituted at National Cardiothoracic Center of Excellence, Enugu, Nigeria. The participants performed cardiac interventions on a variety of patients with CHD. We performed a retrospective review of this endeavor. Patients’ demographics, number of patients, age ranges, types of CHD and clinical evaluation methodology were obtained from our hospital’s record department. We also assessed types of cardiac interventions, outcome and challenges and the impacts of the foreign cardiac surgery missions. Results:?During the study period, a total of 72 children with CHD were evaluated. They were 39 males and 33 females. The age ranged between 0 - 10 years in children and 41 - 50 years in the adult. We studied both simple and complex anomalies. A VSD was the commonest (n = 22, 27.16%). Conclusion: Foreign congenital cardiac surgery missions were not able to provide adequate services for the care of CHD that require cardiac surgery both in terms of reduction in magnitude as well as adequate educational program for the local cardiac team. Thus infants, in particular, suffer an early death. The need for governmental support to develop a comprehensive program to care for these patients is essential in Nigeria and other developing countries.

Interaction between ozone and paternal smoking on fetal congenital heart defects among pregnant women at high risk a multicenter maternal-fetal medicine study

Background Evidence remains limited on the association between maternal ozone(O,)exposure and congenital heart defects(CHDs)in offspring,and few studies have investigated the interaction and modification of paternal smoking on this association.Methods Using a sample including pregnant women at high risk of fetal CHD(with metabolic disease,first-trimester viral infection,family history of CHD,etc.)from a maternal-fetal medicine study covering 1313 referral hospitals in China during 2013-2021,we examined the associations between maternal O_(3)exposure during 3-8 weeks of gestational age and fetal CHD in offspring and investigated the interaction and modification of paternal smoking on this association.CHD was diagnosed by fetal echocardiograms,maximum daily 8-hour average O,exposure data at a 10 km×10 km spatial resolution came from the Tracking Air Pollution in China dataset,and paternal smoking was collected using questionnaires.Logistic regression models were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios(ORs)and 95%confidence intervals(CIs).Results Among 27,834 pregnant women at high risk of fetal CHD,17.4%of fetuses were diagnosed with CHD.Each 10μg/m^(3)increase in maternal O_(3)exposure was associated with a 17%increased risk of CHD in offspring(OR=1.17,95%CI=1.14-1.20).Compared with paternal nonsmoking and maternal low O_(3)exposure,the ORs(95%CI)of CHD for smoking and low O_(3)exposure,nonsmoking and high O_(3)exposure,and smoking and high O_(3)exposure were 1.25(1.08-1.45),1.81(1.56-2.08),and 2.23(1.84-2.71),respectively.Paternal smoking cessation seemingly mitigated the increased risk of CHD.Conclusions Maternal O_(3)exposure and paternal smoking were interactively associated with an increased risk of fetal CHD in offspring,which calls for effective measures to decrease maternal exposure to O_(3)pollution and secondhand smoke for CHDprevention.

SURGICAL EXPERIENCE OF COMPLEX CONGENITAIL HEART DEFECTS IN CHILDREN AND INFANTS

From January 1982 to June 1990, 2730 patients with congenital heart defects (CHDS) were treated at Xinhua Hospital there were 537 cases of complex lesions. Fifty of 537 patients died, the hospital mortality rate was 9.31%. On the basis of our clinical experience, it is important that the accurate diagnosis was made promptly in neonate with complex CHDs. The surgical results can be improved by the use of PGEI and balloon atrial septostomy in the cyanotic neonate. For the congestive CHDs, the operation must be per formed in the early life to prevent pulmonary hypertension. Improved methods of preoperative and postoperative care have contributed to these results.

Innovative treatments for congenital heart defects

The past few decades have witnessed substantial advances in the treatment of complex congenital heart defects,with most significant advances in surgical treatment strategies and improved outcomes dependent upon well-educated and calculated risk-taking innovations.In the present surgical era,doing nothing for complex congenital heart defects is unacceptable,and pioneering surgeons are willing to under-take and accept the substantial risks of innovative pediatric cardiac surgery[1].

Invasive Hemodynamic and Vasoreactivity Testing with Inhaled Iloprost in Children with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Associated with Congenital Heart Defects

Objective:Invasive hemodynamic evaluation and acute vasoreactivity testing are recommended in the diagnosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension(PAH),but their clinical role in children with PAH associated with congenital heart defects(CHD)is unclear.This study aims to investigate acute hemodynamic responses to inhaled iloprost,and its role in prognosis in children with PAH-CHD.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 83 pediatric patients with PAH-CHD in whom invasive hemodynamics were evaluated before and after a single inhaled dose of iloprost at a single center between 2010 and 2022.Details of the CHD corrective operation,medical treatment,and outcome for each patient were obtained via medical records or telephone contact.A composite endpoint of all-cause death,admission for worsening heart failure during follow-up,and event-free survival was defined,and risk factors associated with this composite endpoint were analyzed.Results:The patient age was(11.3±4.6)years,and 60(72.3%)were female.Fifty-nine(71.1%)patients were diagnosed with Eisenmenger syndrome.After iloprost inhalation,mean pulmonary artery pressure decreased from(78.2±11.5)to(72.3±13.2)mmHg(P<0.001),and pulmonary vascular resistance index(PVRI)decreased from(18.0±7.9)to(14.5±8.1)WU·m^(2)(P<0.001).A total of 38(45.8%)patients had a positive response,defined as a PVRl decrease>25%with stable systemic pressure.Thirtyseven(44.6%)patients underwent a corrective CHD operation at a median of 24 d after hemodynamic evaluation.Nine patients died,and 15 met the composite endpoint during a follow-up period of 5.4(3.8,8.8)years.Five-year event-free survival estimates were 96.7%(95%confidence interval:90.3%-100%)in patients with a positive response,and 82.8%(95%confidence interval:71.7%-94.5%)in patients with a non-positive response(log-rank P=0.012).A positive PVRl response and higher pulmonary arterial oxygen saturation after iloprost inhalation,lower baseline brain natriuretic peptide,and PAH-targeted therapy at follow-up were significantly associated with a favorable clinical outcome.A positive acute vasoreactivity testing response and PAH-targeted therapy at follow-up were independent predictors of outcome in multivariate Cox analysis.conclusions:Acute inhalation of iloprost can lead to a significant decrease in hemodynamic parameters.Responsiveness to inhaled iloprost is associated with better outcomes and can be a valuable predictor of outcomes.

Congenital heart“Challenges”in Down syndrome

In this editorial,we comment on the article by Kong et al published in the recent issue of the World Journal of Cardiology.In this interesting case,the authors present the challenges faced in managing a 13-year-old patient with Down syndrome(DS)and congenital heart disease(CHD)associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension.In this distinct population,the Authors underscore the need for early diagnosis and management as well as the need of a multidisciplinary approach for decision making.It seems that the occurrence of CHD in patients with DS adds layers of complexity to their clinical management.This editorial aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the intricate interplay between DS and congenital heart disorders,offering insights into the nuanced diagnostic and therapeutic considerations for physicians.

Health Systems Strengthening to Tackle the Global Burden of Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease: A Diagonal Approach

1 Background Congenital heart disease(CHD)is the most common major congenital anomaly,affecting approximately one in every 100 live births[1].Among congenital anomalies,66%of preventable deaths are due to CHD,and 58%of the avertable morbidity and mortality due to congenital anomalies would result from scaling congenital heart surgery services[2].Every year,nearly 300,000 children and adults die from CHD,the majority of whom live in low-and middle-income countries(LMICs)[3].Approximately 49%of all individuals with CHD will require surgical or interventional care at some point in their lifetime[4];as a result of advances in access to and the delivery of such services,over 95%of children born with CHD in high-income countries now live into adulthood[3].Here,adults have surpassed children in the number of CHD cases at a ratio of 2:1[5].

Machine Learning-Based Intelligent Auscultation Techniques in Congenital Heart Disease:Application and Development

Congenital heart disease(CHD),the most prevalent congenital ailment,has seen advancements in the“dual indi-cator”screening program.This facilitates the early-stage diagnosis and treatment of children with CHD,subse-quently enhancing their survival rates.While cardiac auscultation offers an objective reflection of cardiac abnormalities and function,its evaluation is significantly influenced by personal experience and external factors,rendering it susceptible to misdiagnosis and omission.In recent years,continuous progress in artificial intelli-gence(AI)has enabled the digital acquisition,storage,and analysis of heart sound signals,paving the way for intelligent CHD auscultation-assisted diagnostic technology.Although there has been a surge in studies based on machine learning(ML)within CHD auscultation and diagnostic technology,most remain in the algorithmic research phase,relying on the implementation of specific datasets that still await verification in the clinical envir-onment.This paper provides an overview of the current stage of AI-assisted cardiac sounds(CS)auscultation technology,outlining the applications and limitations of AI auscultation technology in the CHD domain.The aim is to foster further development and refinement of AI auscultation technology for enhanced applications in CHD.