Periods of low renal perfusion pressure are associated with acute kidney injury following paediatric cardiac surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Acute kidney injury is associated with worse outcomes after cardiac surgery. The haemodynamic goals to ameliorate kidney injury are not clear. Low post-operative renal perfusion pressure has been associated with acute kidney injury in adults. Inadequate oxygen delivery may also cause kidney injury. This study evaluates pressure and oximetric haemodynamics after paediatric cardiac surgery and their association with acute kidney injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective case-control study at a children's hospital. Patients were < 6 months of age who underwent a Society of Thoracic Surgery-European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery Congenital Heart Surgery categories ≥ 3. Low renal perfusion pressure was time and depth below several tested thresholds. The primary outcome was serum creatine-defined acute kidney injury in the first 7 days. RESULTS: Sixty-six patients (median age 8 days) were included. Acute kidney injury occurred in 36%. The time and depth of renal perfusion pressure < 42 mmHg in the first 24 hours was greater in acute kidney injury patients (94 versus 35 mmHg*minutes of low renal perfusion pressure/hour, p = 0.008). In the multivariable model, renal perfusion pressure < 42 mmHg was associated with acute kidney injury (aOR: 2.07, 95%CI: 1.25-3.82, p = 0.009). Mean arterial pressure, central venous pressure, and measures of inadequate oxygen delivery were not associated with acute kidney injury. CONCLUSION: Periods of low renal perfusion pressure (<42 mmHg) in the first 24 post-operative hours are associated with acute kidney injury. Renal perfusion pressure is a potential modifiable target that may mitigate the impact of acute kidney injury after paediatric cardiac surgery.

Prognostic Value of RV Function Analysis During the Interstage Period in Patients with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome.

Cardiac dysfunction is associated with mortality in children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). We evaluated the ability of qualitative and quantitative RV functional parameters to predict outcomes in HLHS patients. In this retrospective, single-center study, echocardiograms from 3 timepoints (pre-stage 1 palliation, 4-8 weeks post-stage 1 palliation, and pre-Glenn) were analyzed in infants with HLHS. Patients were stratified into two groups based on outcome of transplant-free survival post-Glenn (survivors) versus mortality or transplantation prior to Fontan (non-survivors). Images were retrospectively reviewed to obtain RV global longitudinal strain (RVGLS), RV-free wall strain (RVFWS), fractional area change (FAC), tricuspid annular systolic plane excursion (TAPSE), tissue motion annular displacement of the tricuspid valve (TMAD-TV) and qualitative systolic function assessment during the predetermined timepoints. An equal variance t-test and chi-square were used to determine significant differences and ROC curve analysis was performed to derive optimal cutoff values to predict mortality/transplant. A total of 47 patients met inclusion criteria, of which, 21 patients met composite endpoint. There were no significant differences in any RV functional parameter during the pre- or post-stage 1 palliation timepoints. The absolute values of RVFWS, RVGLS, and TMAD-TV were significantly greater in survivors than non-survivors during the pre-Glenn timepoint. A pre-Glenn RVGLS > -15.6 (AUC 0.79), RVFWS > -18.6 (AUC 0.75), and TMAD-TV < 12.6% (AUC 0.82) were sensitive and specific for predicting death or need for transplantation prior to Fontan completion. RVGLS, RVFWS, and TMAD-TV may help identify higher-risk HLHS patients during the interstage period.

Echocardiographic measured shunt velocity does not predict pulmonary blood flow in patients with Blalock-Thomas-Taussig shunt.

INTRODUCTION: Catheterisation is the gold standard used to evaluate pulmonary blood flow in patients with a Blalock-Thomas-Taussig shunt. It involves risk and cannot be performed frequently. This study aimed to evaluate if echocardiographic measurements obtained in a clinical setting correlate with catheterisation-derived pulmonary blood flow in patients with a Blalock-Thomas-Taussig shunt as the sole source of pulmonary blood flow. METHODS: Chart review was performed retrospectively on consecutive patients referred to the catheterisation lab with a Blalock-Thomas-Taussig shunt. Echocardiographic parameters included peak, mean, and diastolic gradients across the Blalock-Thomas-Taussig shunt and forward and reverse velocity time integral across the distal transverse aorta. In addition to direct correlations, we tested a previously published formula for pulmonary blood flow calculated as velocity time integral across the shunt × heart rate × Blalock-Thomas-Taussig shunt area. Catheterisation parameters included pulmonary and systemic blood flow as calculated by the Fick principle. RESULTS: 18 patients were included. The echocardiography parameters and oxygen saturation did not correlate with catheterisation-derived pulmonary blood flow, systemic blood flow, or the ratio of pulmonary to systemic blood flow. As the ratio of reverse to forward velocity time integral across the transverse aorta increased, the probability of shunt stenosis decreased. CONCLUSION: Echocardiographic measurements obtained outside the catheterisation lab do not correlate with catheterisation-derived pulmonary blood flow. The ratio of reverse to forward velocity time integral across the transverse aortic arch may be predictive of Blalock-Thomas-Taussig shunt narrowing; this finding should be investigated further.

Reduced length of stay after implementation of a clinical pathway following repair of ventricular septal defect.

BACKGROUND: There is variation in care and hospital length of stay following surgical repair of ventricular septal defects. The use of clinical pathways in a variety of paediatric care settings has been shown to reduce practice variability and overall length of stay without increasing the rate of adverse events. METHODS: A clinical pathway was created and used to guide care following surgical repair of ventricular septal defects. A retrospective review was done to compare patients two years prior and three years after the pathway was implemented. RESULTS: There were 23 pre-pathway patients and 25 pathway patients. Demographic characteristics were similar between groups. Univariate analysis demonstrated a significantly shorter time to initiation of enteral intake in the pathway patients (median time to first enteral intake after cardiac ICU admission was 360 minutes in pre-pathway patients and 180 minutes in pathway patients, p < 0.01). Multivariate regression analyses demonstrated that the pathway use was independently associated with a decrease in time to first enteral intake (-203 minutes), hospital length of stay (-23.1 hours), and cardiac ICU length of stay (-20.5 hours). No adverse events were associated with the use of the pathway, including mortality, reintubation rate, acute kidney injury, increased bleeding from chest tube, or readmissions. CONCLUSIONS: The use of the clinical pathway improved time to initiation of enteral intake and decreased length of hospital stay. Surgery-specific pathways may decrease variability in care while also improving quality metrics.

A Near Real-Time Risk Analytics Algorithm Predicts Elevated Lactate Levels in Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care Patients.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative pediatric congenital heart patients are predisposed to develop low-cardiac output syndrome. Serum lactate (lactic acid [LA]) is a well-defined marker of inadequate systemic oxygen delivery. OBJECTIVES: We hypothesized that a near real-time risk index calculated by a noninvasive predictive analytics algorithm predicts elevated LA in pediatric patients admitted to a cardiac ICU (CICU). DERIVATION COHORT: Ten tertiary CICUs in the United States and Pakistan. VALIDATION COHORT: Retrospective observational study performed to validate a hyperlactatemia (HLA) index using T3 platform data (Etiometry, Boston, MA) from pediatric patients less than or equal to 12 years of age admitted to CICU (n = 3,496) from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2020. Patients lacking required data for module or LA measurements were excluded. PREDICTION MODEL: Physiologic algorithm used to calculate an HLA index that incorporates physiologic data from patients in a CICU. The algorithm uses Bayes' theorem to interpret newly acquired data in a near real-time manner given its own previous assessment of the physiologic state of the patient. RESULTS: A total of 58,168 LA measurements were obtained from 3,496 patients included in a validation dataset. HLA was defined as LA level greater than 4 mmol/L. Using receiver operating characteristic analysis and a complete dataset, the HLA index predicted HLA with high sensitivity and specificity (area under the curve 0.95). As the index value increased, the likelihood of having higher LA increased (p < 0.01). In the validation dataset, the relative risk of having LA greater than 4 mmol/L when the HLA index is less than 1 is 0.07 (95% CI: 0.06-0.08), and the relative risk of having LA less than 4 mmol/L when the HLA index greater than 99 is 0.13 (95% CI, 0.12-0.14). CONCLUSIONS: These results validate the capacity of the HLA index. This novel index can provide a noninvasive prediction of elevated LA. The HLA index showed strong positive association with elevated LA levels, potentially providing bedside clinicians with an early, noninvasive warning of impaired cardiac output and oxygen delivery. Prospective studies are required to analyze the effect of this index on clinical decision-making and outcomes in pediatric population.

Urine Quantification Following Furosemide for Severe Acute Kidney Injury Prediction in Critically Ill Children.

A standardized, quantified assessment of furosemide responsiveness predicts acute kidney injury (AKI) in children after cardiac surgery and AKI progression in critically ill adults. The purpose of this study was to determine if response to furosemide is predictive of severe AKI in critically ill children outside of cardiac surgery. We performed a multicenter retrospective study of critically ill children. Quantification of furosemide response was based on urine flow rate (normalized for weight) measurement 0 to 6 hours after the dose. The primary outcome was presence of creatinine defined severe AKI (Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes stage 2 or greater) within 7 days of furosemide administration. Secondary outcomes included mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation and length of stay. A total of 110 patients were analyzed. Severe AKI occurred in 20% ( n = 22). Both 2- and 6-hour urine flow rate were significantly lower in those with severe AKI compared with no AKI ( p = 0.002 and p < 0.001). Cutoffs for 2- and 6-hour urine flow rate for prediction of severe AKI were <4 and <3 mL/kg/hour, respectively. The adjusted odds of developing severe AKI for 2-hour urine flow rate of <4 mL/kg/hour was 4.3 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.33-14.15; p = 0.02). The adjusted odds of developing severe AKI for 6-hour urine flow rate of <3 mL/kg/hour was 6.19 (95% CI: 1.85-20.70; p = 0.003). Urine flow rate in response to furosemide is predictive of severe AKI in critically ill children. A prospective assessment of urine flow rate in response to furosemide for predicting subsequent severe AKI is warranted.

Multicenter Evaluation of Pre-operative Feeding in Infants with Ductal Dependent Circulation.

Enteral feeds are often withheld from neonates with ductal dependent cardiac lesions who are receiving prostaglandins. This is despite positive benefits of enteral feeding. We describe a multicenter cohort of these neonates who were fed pre-operatively. We also give a granular description of vital sign measurements and other risk factors prior to feeding. A retrospective chart review was performed at seven centers. Inclusion criteria were full-term neonates under one month of age with ductal dependent lesions receiving prostaglandins. These neonates were fed for at least 24 h during the pre-operative period. Premature neonates were excluded. Using the inclusion criteria, 127 neonates were identified. While being fed, 20.5% of the neonates were intubated, 10.2% were on inotropes, and 55.9% had an umbilical arterial catheter in place. Median oxygen saturations in the six hours prior to feeding were 92.5% in patients with cyanotic lesions, median diastolic blood pressure was 38 mmHg and median somatic NIRS were 66.5%. The median peak daily feeding volume reached was 29 ml/kg/day (IQ range 15.5-96.8 ml/kg/day). One patient developed suspected necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in this cohort. Only one adverse event occurred, which was an aspiration thought to be related to feeding, but did not result in intubation or cessation of feeds. NEC was rare among neonates with ductal dependent lesions while receiving enteral nutrition pre-operatively. Umbilical arterial catheters were in place in the majority of these patients. Hemodynamic measures demonstrated a high median oxygen saturation prior to initiation of feeds.

'Are Routine Post-discharge Diuretics Necessary After Pediatric Cardiac Surgery?'

A prospective, one-armed, safety non-inferiority trial with historical controls was performed at a single-center, quaternary, children's hospital. Inclusion criteria were children aged 3 months-18 years after pediatric cardiac surgery resulting in a two-ventricle repair between 7/2020 and 7/2021. Eligible patients were compared with patients from a 5-year historical period (selected using a database search). The intervention was that "regular risk" patients received no diuretics and pre-specified "high risk" patients received 5 days of twice per day furosemide at discharge. 61 Subjects received the intervention. None were readmitted for pleural effusions, though 1 subject was treated for a symptomatic pleural effusion with outpatient furosemide. The study was halted after an interim analysis demonstrated that 4 subjects were readmitted with pericardial effusion during the study period versus 2 during the historical control (2.9% versus 0.2%, P = 0.003). We found no evidence that limited post-discharge diuretics results in an increase in readmissions for pleural effusions. This conclusion is limited as not enough subjects were enrolled to definitively show that this strategy is not inferior to the historical practice. There was a statistically significant increase in readmissions for pericardial effusions after implementation of this study protocol which can lead to serious complications and requires further study before conclusions can be drawn regarding optimal diuretic regimens.

Use of Fenoldopam in Children with Congenital Heart Disease to Decrease Fluid Balance: A Retrospective, Descriptive Study and Insights into Predictors of Decreased Fluid Balance.

This retrospective study aimed to determine if fenoldopam is associated with a decrease in fluid balance and to define the factors that may promote this in children with a history of congenital heart disease at the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU). Patients cared from January 2014 to December 2018 in the CICU were reviewed, and those on fenoldopam infusion were identified. Patient cohort data included demographics, clinical information, laboratory results, hemodynamic and urine output measurements, and information regarding fenoldopam infusion were compared between those with and without decrease in fluid balance. Forty-six patients were identified. Patients received a starting dose of fenoldopam of 0.2 mcg/kg/h, a maximum dose of 0.3 mcg/kg/h, and duration of 64 hours. Over the 4-hour study period, statistically significant change was noted in systolic pressure (decrease of 5.4%; p < 0.001), diastolic pressure (decrease of 3.5%; p = 0.01), fluid balance, and urine output (decrease of 1.3%; p = 0.027). In the cohort, 34 patients (74%) had a decrease in fluid balance, 18 (39%) had an increase in urine output, and 25 (54%) had a decrease in fluid input after the initiation of fenoldopam. Patients that had a decrease in fluid balance tended to have a higher blood urea nitrogen level at the time of fenoldopam initiation. Fenoldopam was associated with decrease in fluid balance and fluid input, but not associated with an increase in urine output. The identification of factors that can decrease fluid balance may help identify those patients who can be benefited with this treatment.

Comparison of semi-automated versus manual quantitative right ventricular assessment in tetralogy of Fallot.

BACKGROUND: Tetralogy of Fallot is a congenital heart defect diagnosed in infancy. Assessment of right ventricular size and function is important for evaluation of patients with tetralogy of Fallot, but these quantitative measures are challenging by echocardiography. This study evaluates a semi-automated software (EchoInsight®, Epsilon Imaging) by comparing its measures to manual measures in children with tetralogy of Fallot. METHODS: Echocardiographic measurements were performed using manual techniques and semi-automated software. Right ventricular measurements included end-diastolic and end-systolic area, fractional area change, chamber dimensions, and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion. Reliability, correlation, and agreement between manual and semi-automated measures were assessed. RESULTS: Echocardiograms for 46 patients were analysed. Intra- and inter-observer reliabilities for semi-automated measures were good with intraclass correlation coefficients all over 0.95 and 0.85, respectively. There was high correlation between manual and semi-automated methods for areas and dimensions (r = 0.91-0.98). Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion measures and fractional area change also correlated, albeit less strongly. The semi-automated measurements of end-systolic and end-diastolic area were a 20 and 47% higher than manual methods, respectively.The semi-automated method yielded a relative 52% lower fractional area change compared to the manual method. CONCLUSIONS: The semi-automated software generates quantitative right ventricular measures in children with tetralogy of Fallot with good reliability and good correlation with manual methods for all measures, but with significant difference between manual and semi-automated techniques for area and functional measures. The specific right ventricular geometry in tetralogy of Fallot children may be why, compared to normal anatomy, greater differences were observed between the two techniques.

Comparison of Quantitative Versus Qualitative Assessment of Single Right Ventricular Function for the Prediction of Midterm Outcomes.

Multiple studies have shown that quantitative evaluation of right ventricular (RV) systolic function in children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is associated with outcomes. However, the most widely used method is qualitative, or subjective echocardiographic evaluation. Tricuspid annular displacement (TMAD) is a quantitative method and has been shown to be associated with transplant/death in a cohort of pediatric patients with HLHS. In this study, the same echocardiograms used in the quantitative TMAD study were qualitatively evaluated to see if the assessment correlated with midterm outcomes. We hypothesized that TMAD measures would outperform qualitative measurements. A previously published retrospective study of patients with systemic right ventricle demonstrated that TMAD measurements of function prior to the Glenn procedure were associated with midterm mortality/transplant (mean TMAD 12.4% for survivors and 10.0% for non-survivors/transplant, p = 0.03). Echocardiographic images used in that study were re-evaluated using qualitative assessment of function. A score between severely depressed (0) and supra-normal (7) was assigned independently by three cardiologists. A chart review included short-term clinical outcome measures in addition to midterm mortality/transplant. Spearman correlations and logistic regression were used to estimate the associations between function scores and clinical outcomes. Function scores were measured with acceptable inter- and intra-rater reliabilities in 47 patients who had echocardiograms used in the prior analysis before their bidirectional Glenn. The mean functional score was 5.3 ± 1.32 in survivors and 5.0 ± 1.02 in non-survivors/transplant. Subjective echocardiographic scores of function were not predictive of mortality (p = 0.23). Scores were correlated with length of cardiac intensive care unit stay (Spearman's rho = - 0.31, p = 0.04), but not post-Glenn total length of hospital stay (p = 0.4). A sub-analysis was performed for each individual operator. Only one of three operators produced scores with a significant association with mortality/transplant (p = 0.01, p = 0.25, p = 0.22, respectively). Averaged subjective measurement of function by three pediatric cardiologists in children with single right ventricle prior to the Glenn procedure was not associated with midterm outcomes. Previous work based on the same echocardiograms showed that quantitative analysis was associated with midterm outcomes. This suggests quantitative analysis may be more useful in prognostication. Future studies could confirm these results and identify which quantitative methods are most helpful.

Added Value of Live 3-Dimensional Transesophageal Echocardiography During Procedures in Fontan Patients.

3D transesophageal echocardiography (3D-TEE) has proven useful and accurate during some operating room (OR), interventional cardiac catheterization (Cath), and electrophysiologic (EP) procedures. The use of 3D-TEE during similar procedures in patients who have undergone Fontan surgery and its additional value have not been previously reported. To determine if live 3D-TEE during procedures post Fontan has added value, 3D-TEEs in 58 post-Fontan patients over a 5-year study period were reviewed. Additional information provided by 3D-TEE (over 2D-TEE) was classified into the following: A: new information which changed/refined the plan and 0: no new important information. Pre- and post-bypass OR 3D-TEEs were counted as one study. A total of 67 3D-TEEs (41 Cath, 13 OR, and 13 EP procedures) were performed. Median age was 14 years (6-39 years). Median weight was 47 kg (21-109 kg). In Cath procedures, only 2/41 (5%) were graded A (R to L atrial level shunt [Fontan leak], n = 1; thrombus in pulmonary artery stump, n = 1). In the OR, 6/13 (46%) were graded A (atrioventricular valvuloplasty, n = 1; neo-aortic valvuloplasty, n = 1; relief of systemic and pulmonary venous outflow obstruction, n = 2 and n = 2; respectively). In EP procedures, 4/13 (31%) were graded A (thrombus, n = 3; mapping for lead placement to assist in multisite pacing for dyssynchrony, n = 1). 3D-TEE of Fontan improved visualization and frequently added value in the OR/EP lab and may be helpful in select catheterization cases. Future studies with a larger sample could build on this data to identify when 3D-TEE will be most useful.

Comparison of Semi-Automated Versus Manual Quantitative Right Ventricular Assessment in Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome.

Quantitative echocardiographic evaluation is important for systemic right ventricles, but its asymmetric shape makes this challenging and time consuming when performed manually. Semi-automated software could make these quantitative measures easier to accomplish in the clinical setting. We hypothesized that semi-automated software would approximate manual measures of right ventricular size and function. Children with hypoplastic left heart who had echocardiograms were prospectively identified. These measurements were performed using manual and semi-automated techniques: end-diastolic and end-systolic area, fractional area change (FAC), dimensions (longitudinal, basal and mid-cavitary diameters), and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE). Agreement between measures was evaluated. Sixty-three echocardiograms were analyzed. Intra- and inter-observer reliability was acceptable and similar between methods except that inter-observer reliability for the manual method was superior for TAPSE. Correlation between methods was high (r > 0.9, p < 0.001) for most of the measures. Correlation for FAC was r = 0.79, and for TAPSE the correlation was r = 0.61 (both p < 0.001). The percent relative difference between manual and semi-automated methods was less than 6% for most measures. End-systolic area and FAC had a relative difference of 10% and 11% respectively. The only measure with substantial bias between the manual and semi-automated methods was TAPSE which had a relative difference of 52%. EchoInsight® semi-automated software provides similar measures of right ventricular dimensions and FAC in patients with hypoplastic left heart compared to manual measures. Measures of TAPSE do not correlate well between manual and semi-automated methods. Further research is warranted on the use of semi-automated analyses in this patient population.

Noninvasive Neurally Adjusted Ventilatory Assist Versus High Flow Cannula Support After Congenital Heart Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Extubation failure rates for critical patients in pediatric intensive care units (ICUs) range from 5% to 29%. Noninvasive (NIV) ventilation has been shown to decrease extubation failure. We compared reintubation rates and outcomes of patients supported with NIV neurally adjusted ventilation assist (NAVA) versus historical controls supported with high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC). METHODS: Case-control study of infants less than three months of age who underwent cardiac surgery and received NIV support after extubation from January 2011 to May 2017. All patients supported with NIV NAVA after it became available in September 2013 were compared to matched patients extubated to HFNC from prior to September 2013. RESULTS: Forty-two patients identified for the NIV NAVA group were matched with 42 historical controls supported with HFNC. Groups had similar baseline characteristics based on rate of acute kidney injury, number of single ventricle patients, Society of Thoracic Surgeons-European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (STAT) category, age, weight, bypass time, and duration of intubation. There was no significant difference in reintubation rates within 72 hours (14.3% in the HFNC group and 16.7% in the NIV NAVA group, P = 1.0). Median duration from extubation to coming off NIV support was longer in the NIV NAVA group (3.6 days vs 0.6 days, P < .001). Median time from extubation to ICU discharge was longer in the NIV NAVA group (10.5 vs 6.8 days, P = .02), as was total postoperative ICU length of stay (LOS; 17.6 vs 12.2, P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: Introduction of NIV NAVA for postextubation support did not reduce reintubation rates compared to HFNC. Further study is needed as adoption of NIV NAVA may prolong LOS.

Bleeding and Thrombosis With Pediatric Extracorporeal Life Support: A Roadmap for Management, Research, and the Future From the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society: Part 2.

OBJECTIVES: To make recommendations on improving understanding of bleeding and thrombosis with pediatric extracorporeal life support including future research directions. DATA SOURCES: Evaluation of literature and consensus conferences of pediatric critical care and extracorporeal life support experts. STUDY SELECTION: A team of 10 experts with pediatric cardiac and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation experience and expertise met through the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society to review current knowledge and make recommendations for future research to establish "best practice" for anticoagulation management related to extracorporeal life support. DATA EXTRACTION/DATA SYNTHESIS: This white paper focuses on clinical understanding and limitations of current strategies to monitor anticoagulation. For each test of anticoagulation, limitations of current knowledge are addressed and future research directions suggested. CONCLUSIONS: No consensus on best practice for anticoagulation monitoring exists. Structured scientific evaluation to answer questions regarding anticoagulation monitoring and bleeding and thrombotic events should occur in multicenter studies using standardized approaches and well-defined endpoints. Outcomes related to need for component change, blood product administration, healthcare outcome, and economic assessment should be incorporated into studies. All centers should report data on patient receiving extracorporeal life support to a registry.

Semi-automated speckle-tracking for quantitative right ventricular assessment in children and adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Assessment of right ventricular size and function is an important part of the clinical cardiac evaluation; however, these quantitative measures are challenging by echocardiography. Automated software could be useful in place of manual measurements and qualitative assessment. This study evaluates a semi-automated software by comparing automated to manual measures in normal children. METHODS: Neonates to adolescents with normal echocardiograms were prospectively enrolled. Measurements were performed using manual techniques and semi-automated software (EchoInsight®, Epsilon Imaging, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America). Right ventricular measurements included end-diastolic and end-systolic area, fractional area change, chamber dimensions, and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion. Agreement between manual and semi-automated measures was compared. RESULTS: Echocardiograms for 233 patients were included in the analysis. Intra- and inter-observer reliabilities for semi-automated measures were good with intraclass correlation coefficients all over 0.9 and 0.85, respectively. There was very strong correlation between manual and semi-automated methods for areas and dimensions (r = 0.93-0.99) and low bias (1.4-10.8%). For functional measures, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion measures correlated well (r = 0.84), but fractional area change did not (r = 0.50). Both demonstrated significant bias (33.5-43.0%). The semi-automated method consistently underestimated fractional area change with a mean of 26.6% versus a manual mean of 36.1%. CONCLUSIONS: The semi-automated software is capable of generating quantitative right ventricular measures in children with good reliability. The software demonstrates very good correlation and low bias when compared to manual methods for right ventricular areas and dimensions. There is a significant difference between manual and semi-automated techniques for the functional measures.

Bleeding and Thrombosis With Pediatric Extracorporeal Life Support: A Roadmap for Management, Research, and the Future From the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society: Part 1.

OBJECTIVES: To make practical and evidence-based recommendations on improving understanding of bleeding and thrombosis with pediatric extracorporeal life support and to make recommendations for research directions. DATA SOURCES: Evaluation of literature and consensus conferences of pediatric critical care and extracorporeal life support experts. STUDY SELECTION: A team of 10 experts with pediatric cardiac and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation experience and expertise met through the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society to review current knowledge and make recommendations for future research to establish "best practice" for anticoagulation management related to extracorporeal life support. DATA EXTRACTION/SYNTHESIS: The first of a two-part white article focuses on clinical understanding and limitations of medications in use for anticoagulation, including novel medications. For each medication, limitations of current knowledge are addressed and research recommendations are suggested to allow for more definitive clinical guidelines in the future. CONCLUSIONS: No consensus on best practice for anticoagulation exists. Structured scientific evaluation to answer questions regarding anticoagulant medication and bleeding and thrombotic events should occur in multicenter studies using standardized approaches and well-defined endpoints. Outcomes related to need for component change, blood product administration, healthcare outcome, and economic assessment should be incorporated into studies. All centers should report data on patients receiving extracorporeal life support to a registry. The Extracorporeal Life Support Organization registry, designed primarily for quality improvement purposes, remains the primary and most successful data repository to date.

Results of international assistance for a paediatric heart surgery programme in a single Ukrainian centre.

BACKGROUND: Surgery for CHD has been slow to develop in parts of the former Soviet Union. The impact of an 8-year surgical assistance programme between an emerging centre and a multi-disciplinary international team that comprised healthcare professionals from developed cardiac programmes is analysed and presented.Material and methodsThe international paediatric assistance programme included five main components - intermittent clinical visits to the site annually, medical education, biomedical engineering support, nurse empowerment, and team-based practice development. Data were analysed from visiting teams and local databases before and since commencement of assistance in 2007 (era A: 2000-2007; era B: 2008-2015). The following variables were compared between periods: annual case volume, operative mortality, case complexity based on Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery (RACHS-1), and RACHS-adjusted standardised mortality ratio. RESULTS: A total of 154 RACHS-classifiable operations were performed during era A, with a mean annual case volume by local surgeons of 19.3 at 95% confidence interval 14.3-24.2, with an operative mortality of 4.6% and a standardised mortality ratio of 2.1. In era B, surgical volume increased to a mean of 103.1 annual cases (95% confidence interval 69.1-137.2, p<0.0001). There was a non-significant (p=0.84) increase in operative mortality (5.7%), but a decrease in standardised mortality ratio (1.2) owing to an increase in case complexity. In era B, the proportion of local surgeon-led surgeries during visits from the international team increased from 0% (0/27) in 2008 to 98% (58/59) in the final year of analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The model of assistance described in this report led to improved adjusted mortality, increased case volume, complexity, and independent operating skills.

Right Ventricular Mechanical Dyssynchrony in Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome: Correlation with Systolic Function and QRS Duration.

The single right ventricle (RV) in hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) often develops systolic dysfunction with time and this affects prognosis. Mechanical dyssynchrony has been reported in HLHS but has not consistently correlated with systolic function or electrical dyssynchrony. The aims of this study were to assess the relationship between RV mechanical dyssynchrony, RV systolic function, and QRS duration on surface electrocardiography. We hypothesized that surface QRS duration would not be an adequate indicator of mechanical dyssynchrony compared with dyssynchrony parameters. Retrospective analysis of echocardiograms of patients with HLHS divided into preserved vs reduced RV function. We measured two RV function parameters: (1) fractional area change (FAC) and (2) global longitudinal strain (RVGLS). We measured two dyssynchrony parameters: (1) the standard deviation of the time to peak strain for 9 segments (tPS-9) and (2) time difference between the earliest and latest time to peak strain (RV dyssynchrony index or RVDI) both corrected for R-R interval. We also measured the QRS duration from surface EKG. Mechanical dyssynchrony parameters were compared to both RV systolic function and to QRS duration. 41 patients with HLHS were identified: 21 had preserved function and 20 had reduced function defined by a FAC < 35%. The reduced function group had a significantly lower mean FAC and RVGLS. RVDI was higher in the dysfunction group and had a modest correlation with FAC (r = 0.48) and RVGLS (r = 0.57). tPS-9 was longer in the dysfunction group and had a modest correlation with FAC (r = 0.45) and RVGLS (r = 0.57). QRS duration was longer in the dysfunction group and had a modest correlation with FAC (r = 0.56) and RVGLS (r = 0.56). The weakest correlations were between QRS duration and tPS-9 (r = 0.32) and QRS duration and RVDI (r = 0.10). RV dysfunction measured by FAC was associated with mechanical dyssynchrony measured by increased RVDI and tPS-9. QRS duration was longer in the group with dysfunction but did not correlate with directly measured mechanical dyssynchrony. This may have potential implications for cardiac resynchronization therapy in univentricular patients as assessed by mechanical dyssynchrony parameters rather than QRS duration alone.

Furosemide response predicts acute kidney injury in children after cardiac surgery.

OBJECTIVE: A standardized assessment of response to furosemide is predictive of acute kidney injury progression in adults, but a paucity of data exists in pediatric patients. We evaluate furosemide responsiveness in a multicenter cohort of pediatric patients after cardiac surgery. METHODS: Children who underwent cardiac surgery with a Society of Thoracic Surgeons-European Association for Cardiothoracic Surgery score of 3 or greater were retrospectively identified. The first dose of furosemide after surgery was recorded, and hourly urine output for 6 hours was recorded after the index dose. Urine flow rate calculated as urine output per hour was used to predict development of acute kidney injury. RESULTS: A total of 166 patients from 4 institutions (median age, 6.3 months; interquartile range, 0.4-27.7) were included. Acute kidney injury occurred in 54 patients (33%). Compared with those without acute kidney injury, the 2- and 6-hour urine flow rates were significantly lower in patients in whom acute kidney injury developed: 2.9 (0.9-6.5) versus 5.0 (2.5-9.0) mL/kg/h for 2-hour urine flow rate, P = .004, and 2.4 (1.2-4.0) versus 4.0 (2.3-5.9) mL/kg/h for 6-hour flow rate, P = .001. In multivariable regression analysis, 2-hour (odds ratio, 1.2, P = .002) and 6-hour (odds ratio, 1.40, P < .001) urine flow rates were independently associated with acute kidney injury development. Lower urine flow rate at both 2 and 6 hours was also independently associated with longer hospital length of stay. CONCLUSIONS: Lower urine flow rate after furosemide administration, when evaluated in a heterogeneous cohort of children from multiple institutions after pediatric cardiac surgery, was independently associated with subsequent acute kidney injury and longer length of stay. Future prospective studies are needed to validate furosemide responsiveness as a predictor of acute kidney injury.