Adult-Onset Still's Disease Misdiagnosed as Acute Fibrinous and Organizing Pneumonia: A Case Report and Literature Review

Adult-onset Stil's disease(AOSD)is a rare condition that lies between autoinflammatory syndrome and autoimmune disease.The main clinical manifestations include fever,chills,rash,joint swelling and pain,peripheral blood leukocytosis,splenomegaly,etc.It is a systemic disease affecting between 1 and 34 people per million.The average age of onset is 35 years old,with a slightly higher prevalence rate in women.Since AOSD lacks early specific symptoms and signs,non-specialist doctors have limited understanding of the disease,and patients are prone to clinical misdiagnosis,mistreatment,and delayed disease progression.This paper reports a patient whose AOSD was misdiagnosed as acute fibrinous and organizing pneumonia.

Adult-onset Still's disease evolving with multiple organ failure and death:A case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND Adult-onset Still’s disease(AOSD)is a rare systemic inflammatory disease,which is characterized by daily fever and arthritis,with an evanescent rash and neutrophilic leukocytosis.To date,there has been no definite laboratory or imaging test available for diagnosing AOSD;the diagnosis is one of exclusion,which can be very challenging.In particular,AOSD patients may experience different complications affecting their clinical picture,management,and prognosis.The treatment of AOSD remains largely empirical and involves therapeutic agents.CASE SUMMARY We report the case of a 36-year-old woman who presented with fever,red rash,arthralgia,and sore throat.Her serum ferritin level and white blood cell count were markedly elevated,and the first diagnosis 22 years prior was"juvenile rheumatoid arthritis of systemic type".The patient was treated with prednisone,sulfasalazine,methotrexate,and leflunomide.After remission of her symptoms,the patient stopped taking the medications,and the disease recurred.Ultimately,the patient was diagnosed with adult-onset Still's disease.Relapse occurred several times due to self-medication withdrawal,and an interleukin-6 antagonist(tocilizumab/Actemra)was administered to control the disease.Recently,she was hospitalized because an incision did not heal,and the patient suddenly developed high fever and diarrhea during hospitalization.The patient's disease progressed violently and quickly developed into macrophage activation syndrome,disseminated intravascular coagulation,shock,and multiple organ failure.The patient had sudden cardiac arrest,and she died despite emergency rescue efforts.CONCLUSION AOSD patients need regular follow-up in the long-term treatment process,and must press formulary standard medication,and do not voluntarily withdraw or reduce the dose.Otherwise it may cause disease back-and-forth or serious lifethreatening complications.Meanwhile,strict management of trauma,infections,tumors,and other diseases may contribute to improved outcomes in patients with complications.

Adult-onset Still's disease: A case report

Rationale: Fever of unknown origin (FUO) is a frequently observed phenomenon in clinical practice. Definite diagnosis of FUO is a great challenge in clinical practice since potential causes for FUO involve more than 200 diseases. Adult-onset Still's disease is a defined clinical entity and a known rare cause of FUO. Patient's concern: A 19-year girl was referred to the clinic with the concern of intermittent fevers and shivering for almost a year despite multiple investigations and consultations. She had undergone intensive serologic, radiologic, laboratory investigations to exclude infectious diseases, connective tissue diseases, and malignancy, and all the investigation showed no conclusive diagnosis. Diagnosis: Adult-onset Stills disease. Intervention: Steroids and supportive treatment. Outcomes:The symptoms were relieved within three days, and the patient became asymptomatic. Lessons: Physicians need to be familiar with the diagnostic criteria of adult-onset Still's disease, or it shall remain a diagnostic dilemma. Besides, all shivers are not infections.

The role of exosomes in adult neurogenesis:implications for neurodegenerative diseases

Exosomes are cup-shaped extracellular vesicles with a lipid bilayer that is approximately 30 to 200 nm in thickness.Exosomes are widely distributed in a range of body fluids,including urine,blood,milk,and saliva.Exosomes exert biological function by transporting factors between different cells and by regulating biological pathways in recipient cells.As an important form of intercellular communication,exosomes are increasingly being investigated due to their ability to transfer bioactive molecules such as lipids,proteins,mRNAs,and microRNAs between cells,and because they can regulate physiological and pathological processes in the central nervous system.Adult neurogenesis is a multistage process by which new neurons are generated and migrate to be integrated into existing neuronal circuits.In the adult brain,neurogenesis is mainly localized in two specialized niches:the subventricular zone adjacent to the lateral ventricles and the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus.An increasing body of evidence indicates that adult neurogenesis is tightly controlled by environmental conditions with the niches.In recent studies,exosomes released from different sources of cells were shown to play an active role in regulating neurogenesis both in vitro and in vivo,thereby participating in the progression of neurodegenerative disorders in patients and in various disease models.Here,we provide a state-of-the-art synopsis of existing research that aimed to identify the diverse components of exosome cargoes and elucidate the therapeutic potential of exosomal contents in the regulation of neurogenesis in several neurodegenerative diseases.We emphasize that exosomal cargoes could serve as a potential biomarker to monitor functional neurogenesis in adults.In addition,exosomes can also be considered as a novel therapeutic approach to treat various neurodegenerative disorders by improving endogenous neurogenesis to mitigate neuronal loss in the central nervous system.

Impact of Social Determinants of Health on Self-Perceived Resilience: An Exploratory Study of Two Cohorts of Adults with Congenital Heart Disease

Social determinants of health(SDOH)affect quality of life.We investigated SDOH impacts on self-perceived resilience among people with adult congenital heart disease(ACHD).Secondary analysis of data from two com-plementary studies:a survey study conducted May 2021–June 2022 and a qualitative study conducted June 2020–August 2021.Resilience was assessed through CD-RISC10 score(range 0–40,higher scores reflect greater self-perceived resilience)and interview responses.Sociodemographic and SDOH(education,employment,living situa-tion,monetary stability,financial dependency,area deprivation index)data were collected by healthcare record review and self-report.We used linear regression with robust standard errors to analyze survey data and performed a thematic analysis of interview data.Survey participants(N=127)mean age was 42±14 years;51%were female,87%white.ACHD was moderate(75%)or complex(25%);41%functional class C or D.Resilience(mean 30±7)varied by monetary stability:compared to people with difficulty paying bills,resilience was 15.0 points higher(95%CI:6.9–23.1,p<0.001)for people reporting having enough money and 14.2 points higher(95%CI:5.9–22.4,p=0.001)for those reporting just enough money.Interview participants’(N=25)mean age was 32 years(range 22–44);52%were female,72%white.ACHD was moderate(56%)or complex(44%);76%functional class C or D.Participants discussed factors affecting resilience aligned with each of the major SDOH,prominently,economic stability and healthcare access and quality.Financial stability may be important for supporting self-perceived resi-lience in ACHD.This knowledge can inform the development of resilience interventions for this population.

Loss to Specialized Cardiology Follow-Up in Adults Living with Congenital Heart Disease

Background:Much has been written about the loss to follow-up in the transition between pediatric and adult Congenital Heart Disease(CHD)care centers.Much less is understood about the loss to follow-up(LTF)after a successful transition.This is critical too,as patients lost to specialised care are more likely to experience mor-bidity and premature mortality.Aims:To understand the prevalence and reasons for loss to follow-up(LTF)at a large Australian Adult Congenital Heart Disease(ACHD)centre.Methods:Patients with moderate or highly complex CHD and gaps in care of>3 years(defined as LTF)were identified from a comprehensive ACHD data-base.Structured telephone interviews examined current care and barriers to clinic attendance.Results:Overall,407(22%)of ACHD patients(n=1842)were LTF.The mean age at LTF was 31(SD 11.5)years and 54%were male;311(76%)were uncontactable.Compared to adults seen regularly,lost patients were younger,with a greater socio-economic disadvantage,and had less complex CHD(p<0.05 for all).We interviewed 59 patients(14%).The top 3 responses for care absences were“feeling well”(61%),losing track of time(36%),and not needing fol-low-up care(25%).Conclusions:A large proportion of the ACHD population becomes lost to specialised cardiac care,even after a successful transition.This Australian study reports younger age,moderate complexity defects,and socio-economic disadvantage as predictive of loss to follow-up.This study highlights the need for novel approaches to patient-centered service delivery even beyond the age of transition and resources to maintain patient engagement within the ACHD service.

Transition of pediatric to adult care in inflammatory bowel disease: Is it as easy as 1, 2, 3?

Inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)is a heterogeneous group of chronic diseases with a rising prevalence in the pediatric population,and up to 25%of IBD patients are diagnosed before 18 years of age.Adolescents with IBD tend to have more severe and extensive disease and eventually require graduation from pediatric care toadult services.The transition of patients from pediatric to adult gastroenterologists requires careful preparation and coordination,with involvement of all key players to ensure proper collaboration of care and avoid interruption in care.This can be challenging and associated with gaps in delivery of care.The pediatric and adult health paradigms have inherent differences between health care models,as well as health care priorities in IBD.The readiness of the young adult also influences this transition of care,with often times other overlaps in life events,such as school,financial independence and moving away from home.These patients are therefore at higher risk for poorer clinical disease outcomes.The aim of this paper is to review concepts pertinent to transition of care of young adults with IBD to adult care,and provides resources appropriate for an IBD pediatric to adult transition of care model.

Prediction of 10-year Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk among Adults Aged 40-79 Years in China:a Nationally Representative Survey

Objective To establish the distribution of 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease （ASCVD） risk among Chinese adults. Methods We estimated the 10-year ASCVD risk by applying the 2013 American College of Cardiology/ American Heart Association pooled cohort equations （PCEs） to the data obtained from the 2010 China Chronic Disease and Risk Factor Surveillance that involved 61,541 participants （representing 520,158,652 Chinese adults） aged 40-79 years. We also compared the ASCVD risk with the 10-year ischemic cardiovascular disease （ICVD） risk, which was calculated using the simplified scoring tables recommended by the Chinese Guidelines for Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases （Chinese model）. Results Based on the PCEs, the average 10-year ASCVD risk among adults without self-reported stroke or myocardial infraction was 12.5%. Approximately 247 million （47.4%） and 107 million （20.6%） adults had 〉 7.5% and 〉 20% 10-year ASCVD risks, respectively. The 10-year ASCVD risk 〉 20% was higher among men, less educated individuals, smokers, drinkers, and physically inactive individuals than among their counterparts. Overall, 29.0% of adults categorized using the Chinese model were overclassified with the PCEs. Conclusion Our results define the distribution of 10-year ASCVD risk among Chinese adults. The 10-year ASCVD risk predicted by the PCEs was higher than the ICVD risk predicted by the Chinese model.

Clustering of Non-communicable Diseases Risk Factors in Healthy Adults Aged 35 Years and Older in Shenzhen,China

We assessed the prevalence of non‐ communicable diseases（NCDs） risk factors with a focus on their clustering among healthy adults in Shenzhen, China. Data from the 2011 China Health and Nutrition Survey, comprising a regionally representative sample of 806 healthy adults aged 35 years or older, were obtained to determine the prevalence of five risk factors for NCDs. The prevalence of current smoking, central obesity, impaired fasting glucose, borderline hypertension, and borderline high total cholesterol was 19.97%, 28.29%, 4.47%, 10.55%, and 36.10%, respectively. A total 63.77% of participants had at least one risk factor. Upon examination of risk factor clustering, we observed that 7.57% of participants had at least three risk factors. Using this threshold as a cutoff, clustering of risk factors was associated with sex [odds ratio（OR） = 3.336, 95% confidence interval（CI）： 1.782 to 6.246], physical activity（OR = 1.913, 95% CI： 1.009 to 3.628）, and BMI（OR = 7.376, 95% CI： 3.812 to 14.270）. The prevalence of risk factors for NCDs is fairly high among healthy adults in Shenzhen, with a clustering tendency.

Stable ischemic heart disease in the older adults

1 Introduction Ischemic heart disease is caused by atherosclerotic and/or thrombotic obstruction of coronary arteries. Clinical spec- trum of ischemic heart disease expands from asymptomatic atherosclerosis of coronary arteries to acute coronary syn- dromes （ACS） including unstable angina, acute myocardial infarction （non-ST elevation myocardial infarction and ST elevation myocardial infarction）. Stable ischemic heart dis- ease （SIHD） refers to patients with known or suspected SIHD who have no recent or acute changes in their symp- tomatic status, suggesting no active thrombotic process is underway.

Foundations of medical decision-making for older adults with cardiovascular disease

In order to help older adults with cardiovascular disease navigate complex decisions, clinicians must know tenets of medical ethics and have good communication skills. The elements of decision making capacity and informed consent are reviewed, using relevant clinical ex- amples to illustrate the basic concepts. The shared decision making model, by which clinician and patient work together to determine the plan of care, is described. Useful communication techniques to implement shared decision making are suggested.

Independent risk factors for depression in older adult patients receiving peritoneal dialysis for chronic kidney disease

BACKGROUND According to the trend of global population aging,the proportion of elderly patients with chronic kidney disease(CKD)is expected to increase.However,there are more than 20 million people in China with decompensated kidney function,of which 19.25%are elderly people.Therefore,special attention should be paid to the education years,sleep quality,anxiety status,comorbidities with diabetes,cardiovascular disease(CVD),and anemia as independent risk factors for depression in elderly CKD patients.This study explores the clinical management of elderly CKD patients that should address these risk factors to prevent depression and improve their prognosis.AIM To investigate depression risk factors in older patients receiving peritoneal dialysis,aiding future prevention of depression in these patients.METHODS This retrospective study included a primary study population of 170 patients with CKD who received peritoneal dialysis from January 2020 to December 2022.We assessed the patients’mental status using the Beck Depression Inventory Score-II(BDI-II),Self-Rating Anxiety Scale(SAS),Anxiety Inventory Score,and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI).Logistic regression was employed to identify depression independent risk factors among these patients.RESULTS The non-depressed group had a significantly longer education period than the depressed group(P<0.05).The depressed group exhibited significantly higher mental status scores than the non-depressed group(P<0.001).Patients with diabetes mellitus(DM)or CVD had a higher probability of developing depression.Patients with depression had significantly lower hemoglobin and albumin levels than patients without depression(P<0.05).Spearman correlation analysis of BDI-II scale scores,measuring depression,indicated positive correlations with BDI-II and SAS scores as risk factors for depression in patients with CKD.In contrast,years of education,hemoglobin levels,and peritoneal Kt/V were negatively correlated,serving as protective factors against depression.An analysis of variance for influences with significant differences in the univariate analysis revealed that years of schooling,BDI-II,SAS,PSQI,DM,CVD,and hemoglobin levels independently influenced depression in older patients with CKD.CONCLUSION Education,BDI-II,SAS,PSQI,DM,and CVD are independent risk factors for depression in older patients with CKD;therefore,post-treatment psychological monitoring of high-risk patients is crucial to prevent depression.

Atypical adult-onset Still’s disease with an initial and sole manifestation of liver injury: A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Adult-onset Still's disease(AOSD)typically presents with a high spiking fever,polyarthritis,transient maculopapular rash,neutrophilic leukocytosis,and hepatosplenomegaly.It has a wide spectrum of clinical symptoms ranging from mild to severe,with extensive involvement of almost every organ.Although liver involvement in the form of increased hepatic enzymes and bilirubin is common,no AOSD case with liver involvement as the initial manifestation of AOSD has been reported.CASE SUMMARY A 35-year-old woman presented to the hepatology department with progressively worsening jaundice for one week.Liver chemistry tests revealed a significantly increased liver enzymes and bilirubin level.Given that the clinical examination was unremarkable,liver biopsy was considered because the patient had a history of AOSD 6 years ago.Liver histopathology revealed that most hepatic lobules were still recognizable.Fusional necrosis was observed around most central veins.A few bridging necrotic zones were also found.Infiltration of multiple plasma cells were observed in the necrotic zone,and the reticular scaffold was still expanded.Additionally,no obvious fibrosis was observed in the portal area.Mild mixed inflammatory cell infiltration was noted in the interstitium of the portal area.Further examination was unremarkable except for a remarkably high level of ferritin.Collectively,a presumptive diagnosis of liver injury secondary to AOSD was made.The hepatic involvement responded well to glucocorticoid treatment.CONCLUSION This case highlights that hepatic involvement as an initial and sole manifestation could be a pattern of relapsed AOSD.The diagnosis of AOSD should be considered in the case of nonresolving liver injury after the exclusion of common etiologies for liver diseases.A liver biopsy can be useful for the differential diagnosis of liver injury associated with AOSD.

Use of Social Cognitive Theory to Assess Salient Clinical Research in Chronic Disease Self-Management for Older Adults: An Integrative Review

The purpose of this integrative review is to evaluate research pertaining to self-management programs for older adults with chronic diseases using Albert Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) for behavior change. The focus is application of the SCT domains to self-management programs. The exploration of the current chronic disease self-management research provides an understanding of the Social Cognitive Theory concepts studied in interventional self-management research. The integrative review explicated two areas related to the theory in need of further research. First, social support has not been thoroughly explored as a mechanism for enhancing self-management interventions. Second, moral disengagement was not identified as a focus within chronic disease research raising the question about the impact of moral disengagement on long-term adherence and behavior change.

The Prevalence and Risk Factors for Dry Eye Disease among Older Adults in the City of Lodz, Poland

Purpose: To estimate the prevalence and risk factors for dry eye disease (DED) in a sample population of Polish older adults. Material and methods: Cross-sectional and observational study of 1107 men and women of European Caucasian origin aged 35 - 97 years, who were interviewed and underwent detailed ophthalmic examinations. DED was defined as presence of a previous clinical diagnosis of dry eye with concomitant dry eye treatment. Results: The overall prevalence of DED in the researched population was 6.7% (95% CI 5.2 - 8.2). The prevalence of DED increased with age from 4.8% in age group 35 - 59 years to 8.3% in group aged ≥60 years. The prevalence of DED was also higher in women 8.1% than in men 4.7%. In multiple logistic regression modelling with age, gender, presence of cataract surgery and glaucoma or ocular hypertension (OHT) treatment, DED was significantly associated with older age (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.21 - 3.30) and with female gender (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.05 - 2.96). Conclusions: The prevalence of DED in our study population was comparable with the findings of other studies from Europe and the United States, with significantly higher rates among women and elderly subjects.

Use of exclusive enteral nutrition in adults with Crohn's disease: A review

Exclusive enteral nutrition(EEN)is well-established as a first line therapy instead of corticosteroid(CS)therapy to treat active Crohn’s disease(CD)in children.It also has been shown to have benefits over and above induction of disease remission in paediatric populations.However,other than in Japanese populations,this intervention is not routinely utilised in adults.To investigate potential reasons for variation in response between adult studies of EEN and CS therapy.The Ovid database was searched over a 6-mo period.Articles directly comparing EEN and CS therapy in adults were included.Eleven articles were identified.EEN therapy remission rates varied considerably.Poor compliance with EEN therapy due to unpalatable formula was an issue in half of the studies.Remission rates of studies that only included patients with previously untreated/new CD were higher than studies including patients with both existing and new disease.There was limited evidence to determine if disease location,duration of disease or age of diagnosis affected EEN therapy outcomes.There is some evidence to support the use of EEN as a treatment option for a select group of adults,namely those motivated to adhere to an EEN regimen and possibly those newly diagnosed with CD.In addition,the use of more palatable formulas could improve treatment compliance.

Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in older adults in China

Over the past two decades, the percentage of Chinese who is 60 years or older has increased from 5.2% in 1995 to 10.5% in 2015. Approximately 16% of the population in China was 60 years old and above in 2015. Since 1990, cardiovascular disease(CVD) has been the leading cause of death in China. Cardiovascular medications of older adults are usually more complicated than younger age groups due to polypharmacy, the presence of comorbidities and more susceptible to treatmentrelated adverse outcomes. Therefore, effective primary prevention of CVD for older adults is important in sustaining the health of older adults and reducing the burden of the healthcare system. Proper management of CVD-related risk factors, such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes and obesity, can remarkably reduce risks of CVDs in older Chinese. These risk factors can be modified by managing blood pressure, glucose and lipids via lifestyle modifications or receiving medications. Smoking cessation, healthy diets, strict alcohol intake and moderate physical exercise are examples of recommended lifestyle changes for remarkably recovering health conditions of older adults who have hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, diabetes or complications. Treatment prescriptions of older adults, in general, are recommended to be individualized and to be initiated at a low dose. The future directions for better primary CVD prevention in older adults include establishing guidelines for primary prevention of CVD for different older adults and further research on better management strategies of CVD risks for elderly Chinese.

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in a young adult survivor with sequelae of childhood Kawasaki disease: A case report

BACKGROUND Kawasaki disease(KD)is an acute type of systemic vasculitis involving small to medium-sized muscular arteries and outbreaks during childhood.KD can cause myocardial ischemia,infarction,and sudden cardiac arrest.We present a case of a young adult survivor of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest as late KD sequelae.CASE SUMMARY A 29-year-old man with presumed acute KD history at the age of 5 suddenly lost consciousness while jogging and was diagnosed a sudden cardiac arrest by an emergency doctor.After about 10 min cardiopulmonary resuscitation,return of spontaneous circulation was achieved,and the patient was transferred to our hospital.A coronary computed tomography angiogram and coronary angiography revealed extensive calcifications of left anterior descending and right coronary artery aneurysms.The patient was an active individual who took exercise regularly and claimed no previous symptoms of chest pain or shortness of breath on exertion.The most possible cause of his sudden cardiac arrest could be presumed as a thrombus within the coronary artery aneurysms.After that,a thromboembolism induced extensive ischemia,and this ischemia-induced arrhythmia led to a cardiac arrest.CONCLUSION Few patients who suffer a late sequela of KD can survive from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.Medications,surgical intervention,and active follow-up are extremely important for this patient to prevent occurrence of adverse events in the future.

Associations of Daytime Napping with Incident Cardiovascular Diseases and Hypertension in Chinese Adults:A Nationwide Cohort Study

Objective This study aimed to examine the associations of daytime napping with incident risks of cardiovascular diseases(CVDs)and hypertension(HTN).Methods Data for napping and CVD outcomes in 25 provinces were collected from baseline(2010)and three waves of follow-up(2012-2017)investigations of the China Family Panel Studies.Cox frailty models with random intercepts for the surveyed provinces were used to assess the longitudinal effects of daytime napping on CVD and HTN.Results Compared with non-nappers,30+min nappers had higher risks of CVD and HTN,while no significant associations were observed among<30 min nappers.Incident risks among 30-to<60-min nappers increased by 22%[hazard ratio(HR)1.22,95% confidence interval(CI)1.08-1.39]for CVD and 21%(1.21,1.04-1.41)for HTN,respectively,with corresponding HRs of CVD and HTN of 1.27(1.09-1.47)and 1.38(1.16-1.65)among≥60 min nappers.Nap-associated CVD risks varied by subgroups,with stronger associations in participants with lower body mass index(<24 kg/m^(2)),physically inactive persons,smokers,and participants with longer nighttime sleep(≥7 h/night).Significant effects of daytime napping were observed on rural and northern residents only,highlighting great regional variations in CVD risks associated with napping habits.Conclusions This cohort study revealed strong evidence that long daytime napping(≥30 min)is associated with an increased incidence of cardiovascular events.

Atrial tachyarrhythmia in adult congenital heart disease

The adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) population continues to grow and most cardiologists, emergency room physicians and family doctors will intermittently come into contact with these patients. Oftentimes this may be in the setting of a presentation with atrial tachyarrhythmia; one of the commonest late complications of ACHD and problem with potentially serious implications. Providing appropriate initial care and ongoing management of atrial tachyarrhythmia in ACHD patients requires a degree of specialist knowledge and an awareness of certain key issues. In ACHD, atrial tachyarrhythmia is usually related to the abnormal anatomy of the underlying heart defect and often occurs as a result of surgical scar or a consequence of residual hemodynamic or electrical disturbances. Arrhythmias significantly increase mortality and morbidity in ACHD and are the most frequent reason for ACHD hospitalization. Intra-atrial reentrant tachycardia and atrial fibrillation are the most prevalent type of arrhythmia in this patient group. In hemodynamically unstable patients, urgent cardioversion is required. Acute management of the stable patient includes anticoagulation, rate control, and electrical or pharmacological cardioversion. In ACHD, rhythm control is the preferred management strategy and can often be achieved. However, in the long-term, medication side-effects can prove problematic. Electrophysiology studies and catheter ablation are important treatments modalities and in certain cases, surgical or percutaneous treatment of the underlying cardiac defect has a role. ACHD patients, especially those with complex CHD, are at increased risk of thromboembolic events and anticoagulation is usually required. Female ACHD patients of child bearing age may wish to pursue pregnancies. The risk of atrial arrhythmias is increased during pregnancy and management of atrial tachyarrhythmia during pregnancy needs specific consideration.