Percutaneous Pulmonary Valve Implantation: Current Status and Future Perspectives.

Patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) with right ventricle outflow tract (RVOT) dysfunction need sequential pulmonary valve replacements throughout their life in the majority of cases. Since their introduction in 2000, the number of percutaneous pulmonary valve implantations (PPVI) has grown and reached over 10,000 procedures worldwide. Overall, PPVI has been proven safe and effective, but some anatomical variations can limit procedural success. This review discusses the current status and future perspectives of the procedure.

Anomalous coronary artery originating from the opposite sinus of Valsalva (ACAOS), fractional flow reserve- and intravascular ultrasound-guided management in adult patients.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the use of fractional flow reserve (FFR) and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) in the evaluation of patients with anomalous coronary arteries originating from the opposite sinus of Valsalva (ACAOS). BACKGROUND: ACAOS of the right and left coronary are rare, but may lead to symptoms and impose a risk for sudden cardiac death, depending on several anatomical features. Assessment and risk estimation is challenging in (nonathlete) adults, especially if they present without symptoms or with atypical complaints. METHODS: The team retrospectively studied 30 consecutive patients with ACAOS with interarterial course, who received IVUS- and FFR-guided treatment at our institution between October 2010 and September 2017. RESULTS: FFR was abnormal in only seven patients. IVUS showed the typical slit-like anatomy of the orifice in 23 patients. Based on FFR and/or IVUS results, in conjunction with the clinical presentation, clinical decision was made. A decision for intervention was made if at least two out of three entities were abnormal. Intervention implied unroofing of the coronary artery (n = 10) or coronary artery bypass grafting (n = 1). In all other patients a conservative strategy was followed. No adverse events occurred in the total population after a median of 37 (0-62) months of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Conservative treatment may be justifiable in adult patients with ACAOS in the presence of normal FFR and nonsuspicious symptoms, despite the presence of an interarterial course and/or slitlike orifice on IVUS. We recommend the use of FFR and IVUS in the standard work-up for adult patients with ACAOS and propose the use of a flowchart to aid in decision-making.

Long-term results of balloon angioplasty for native coarctation of the aorta in childhood in comparison with surgery.

OBJECTIVES: Coarctation of the aorta (CoA) can be treated either surgically or with balloon angioplasty (BA). Long-term follow-up for either treatment has been limited. Our objective was to compare long-term results of BA and surgery for treatment of native CoA in childhood. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of patients with native CoA treated with BA or surgery between 3 months and 16 years of age. Forty-eight patients filled out questionnaires and approved review of their medical records. Twenty-four patients underwent additional testing, including 24-h ambulatory blood pressure measurement, cardiopulmonary exercise testing and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Results were analysed cross-sectionally and longitudinally. RESULTS: Nineteen and 29 patients received BA and surgery, respectively. Prevalence of hypertension and aneurysms was similar in both groups. Fifty percent of patients were hypertensive. Two-thirds of patients demonstrating hypertension were not receiving antihypertensive medication. Aneurysm formation occurred in 1 BA (5%) and 1 surgery (3%) patient. The BA group had a significantly higher risk of recoarctation (47% vs 24%) and reintervention (hazard ratio 2.95, 95% confidence interval 1.04-8.32). Exercise capacity and global left ventricular function were preserved in both groups and not significantly different after correction for age. Quality of life was good to excellent in the majority of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: After CoA repair in childhood, most patients perform well in daily life. However, on the long term, more than half of the patients develop hypertension and many develop re-CoA, especially in those who underwent BA. Therefore, we do not recommend BA for the treatment of native CoA in children.

Social burden and lifestyle in adults with congenital heart disease.

We aimed to evaluate how the presence and severity of congenital heart disease (CHD) influence social life and lifestyle in adult patients. A random sample (n = 1,496) from the CONgenital CORvitia (n = 11,047), the Dutch national registry of adult patients with CHD, completed a questionnaire on educational attainment, employment and marital statuses, and lifestyle (response 76%). The Utrecht Health Project provided a large reference group (n = 6,810) of unaffected subjects. Logistic regression models were used for subgroup analyses and to adjust for age, gender, and socioeconomic status where appropriate. Of all patients 51.5% were men (median age 39 years, interquartile range 29 to 51) with mild (46%), moderate (44%), and severe (10%) CHD. Young (<40-year-old) patients with CHD were more likely to have achieved a lower education (adjusted odds ratios [ORs] 1.6 for men and 1.9 for women, p <0.05 for the 2 comparisons), significantly more often unemployed (adjusted ORs 5.9 and 2.0 for men and women, respectively), and less likely to be in a relationship compared to the reference group (adjusted ORs 8.5 for men and 4.5 for women). These poorer outcomes were seen in all severity groups. Overall, the CHD population smoked less (adjusted OR 0.5, p <0.05), had more sports participation (adjusted OR 1.2, p <0.05), and had less obesity (adjusted OR 0.7, p <0.05) than the reference group. In conclusion, there was a substantial social disadvantage in adult patients with CHD, which was seen in all severity groups and primarily in young men. In contrast, adults with CHD had healthier lifestyles compared to the reference group.

Patients with a congenital heart defect and type D personality feel functionally more impaired, report a poorer health status and quality of life, but use less healthcare.

BACKGROUND: Type D personality, characterized by high levels of negative affectivity and social inhibition, is related to mortality, morbidity, poor health status, quality of life (QoL) and less healthcare utilization in various cardiovascular patient groups. To date, studies in patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) are lacking. AIMS: (1) To examine the prevalence of type D personality in CHD patients; (2) to compare type D to non-type D patients with regard to disease severity, functional status, health status and QoL; and (3) to examine the extent to which type D personality is independently related to healthcare utilization. METHODS: A total of 1109 adult CHD patients were included in a questionnaire survey. Due to missing data, 302 patients were excluded. RESULTS: The prevalence of Type D personality was 20.4%. Type D patients reported a poorer functional status, health status and QoL than non-type D patients (p<0.05). Type D patients reported less healthcare use than non-type D patients (primary and cardiac outpatient healthcare: adjusted OR=0.56, 95% CI=0.35-0.90; inpatient healthcare: adjusted OR=0.38, 95% CI=0.17-0.83). Results of a post-hoc analysis showed a high prevalence of type D personality in patients with a poor functional status who did not consult their cardiologist. CONCLUSION: type D patients report a poorer functional status, health status and QoL, but less healthcare utilization. In clinical practice, patients should be screened for type D personality, since social inhibition may prevent them from contacting a healthcare provider in the event of symptom aggravation.

Genes in congenital heart disease: atrioventricular valve formation.

Through the use of animal studies, many candidate genes (mainly encoding transcriptional factors and receptors) have been implicated in the development of congenital heart disease. Thus far, only a minority of these genes have been shown to carry mutations associated with congenital disease in humans, e.g., GATA 4, TBX-5, NOTCH1 and NKX2-5. Mutations in these genes can cause a variety of cardiac defects even within the same family. Conversely, similar phenotypes are observed for different gene mutations suggesting a common pathway. Multiple genes and genetic pathways have been related to atrioventricular valve formation, although most of these genes have not yet been demonstrated as causative in human atrioventricular valve defects. Key pathways include the epidermal growth factor receptor pathway and related interacting pathways, most importantly the pathway of UDP-glucose dehydrogenase, resulting ultimately in activation of Ras. Other examples of interacting pathways include that of Nodal/Cited2/Pitx2, Wnt, Notch and ECE. Further studies are needed to investigate the pathways which are crucial for atrioventricular valve formation in humans. Understanding the underlying molecular process of abnormal atrioventricular valve formation in patients with congenital heart disease may provide important insight, in the etiology and possibly into preventive or treatment regimes.