Sociodemographic profile associated with congenital heart disease among infants <1 year old.

PURPOSE: Congenital heart disease affects thousands of newborns each year in the United States. Previous United States-based research has explored how sociodemographic factors may impact health outcomes in infants with congenital heart disease; however, their impact on the incidence of congenital heart disease is unclear. We explored the sociodemographic profile related to congenital heart disease to help address health disparities that arise from race and social determinants of health. Defining the sociodemographic factors associated with congenital heart disease will encourage implementation of potential preventative measures. DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of longitudinally collected data comparing 39 infants with congenital heart disease and 30 healthy controls. We used a questionnaire to collect sociodemographic data. Pearson's chi-square test/Fisher's exact tests analyzed the associations among different sociodemographic factors between infants with congenital heart disease and healthy controls. RESULTS: We found a statistically significant difference in maternal education between our 2 groups of infants (p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: Maternal education was associated with congenital heart disease. Future studies are needed to further characterize sociodemographic factors that may predict and impact the incidence of congenital heart disease and to determine possible interventions that may help decrease health disparities regarding the incidence of congenital heart disease. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Understanding the associations between maternal sociodemographic factors and infant congenital heart disease would allow clinicians to identify mothers at higher risk of having an infant with congenital heart disease.

Sociodemographic Profile Associated with Congenital Heart Disease among Infants Less than 1 Year Old.

Background: Congenital heart disease (CHD) affects thousands of newborns each year in the United States (US). Infants born with CHD have an increased risk of adverse health outcomes compared to healthy infants. These outcomes include, but are not limited to, neurodevelopmental, surgical, and mortality-related outcomes. Previous US-based research has explored how sociodemographic factors may impact these health outcomes in infants with CHD; however, their impact on the risk of CHD is unclear. This study aims to explore the sociodemographic profile related to CHD to help address health disparities that arise from race and social determinants of health. Defining the sociodemographic factors associated with CHD will encourage policy change and the implementation of preventative measures. Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of longitudinally collected data. We compared infants with CHD and healthy controls. We used a questionnaire to collect sociodemographic data. Pearson's chi-square test/Fisher's exact tests analyzed the associations among different sociodemographic factors between infants with CHD and healthy controls. Results: We obtained sociodemographic factors from 30 healthy control infants and 39 infants with CHD. We found a statistically significant difference in maternal education between our 2 groups of infants (p=0.004). Conclusion: Maternal education is associated with CHD. Future studies are needed to further characterize sociodemographic factors that may predict and impact the risk of CHD and to determine possible interventions that may help decrease health disparities regarding the risk of CHD.

Nueva metodología física y matemática de evaluación del Holter / New physics and mathematics methodology in Holter evaluation

La caracterización del estado y la evolución de los sistemas son descritas por la teoría de los sistemas dinámicos. Los sistemas caóticos pueden evaluarse con dimensiones fractales.Se estudiaron 17 Holter, cuatro de los cuales se diagnosticaron como normales y 13 con diferentes enfermedades. Se generó la secuencia de valores de la frecuencia cardiaca a partir de los valores medidos en el examen clínico. Para cada simulación se construyó un atractor, se evaluó su dimensión fractal así como los espacios de ocupación del atractor y, finalmente, se hicieron comparaciones entre normalidad y enfermedad.Se diferenciaron dinámicas cardiacas caóticas agudas, de crónicas y normales con parámetros de medida relacionados con la dimensión fractal. Se encontraron valores máximos en la ocupación espacial de atractores asociados a eventos clínicos agudos, en la aplicación del método de Box-Counting. Los espacios evaluados para los atractores de individuos con eventos clínicos agudos, son la tercera parte de los normales. La totalidad de dinámicas cardiacas, según esta metodología, es finita.Se desarrolló una nueva metodología de evaluación del Holter a partir de simulaciones de la dinámica cardiaca y la evaluación de espacios dinámicos abstractos, de aplicación a cualquier caso particular.

Consenso sobre los requerimientos y pautas de la ecocardigrafía y hemodinamia

Con la finalidad de buscar una mejor calidad-atención a los pacientes y garantizar la calidad de los estudios, se convocó a un grupo de cardiólogos expertos a participar en una serie de reuniones para llegar a un consenso sovre los requisitos mínimos para el funcionamiento de los laboratorios de Ecocardiografía y Hemodinamia. Se analizaron las características del laboratorio y del equipo, así como el nivel de entrenamiento del cardiólogo responsable y de los otros colaboradores profesionales, técnicos y auxiliares que trabajan en cada modalidad de estudio. La Sociedad Colombiana de Cardiología consideró estas normas como sus recomendaciones para la práctica de procedimientos de diagnóstico No Invasivo e Invasivos