Mental Health Care for Children with Heart Disease and Their Families: Practical Approaches and Considerations for the Pediatric and Pediatric Cardiology Clinician.

Mental health conditions are a common comorbidity among children living with heart disease. Children with congenital heart disease are more likely to have a mental health condition than their unaffected peers or peers with other chronic illnesses, and mental health risk persists across their lifetime. While poorer mental health in adults with congenital heart disease is associated with worse overall health outcomes, the association between mental health and cardiac outcomes for children with heart disease remains unknown. Despite this, it is suspected that mental health conditions go undiagnosed in children with heart disease and that many affected children and adolescents do not receive optimal mental health care. In this article, we review mental health in congenital heart disease across the lifespan, across domains of care, and across diagnoses. Further directions to support mental health care for children and adolescents with heart disease include practical screening and access to timely referral and mental health resources.

Clinical Presentation, Classification, and Outcomes of Cardiogenic Shock in Children.

BACKGROUND: Despite growing cardiogenic shock (CS) research in adults, the epidemiology, clinical features, and outcomes of children with CS are lacking. OBJECTIVES: This study sought to describe the epidemiology, clinical presentation, hospital course, risk factors, and outcomes of CS among children hospitalized for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). METHODS: We examined consecutive ADHF hospitalizations (<21 years of age) from a large single-center retrospective cohort. Patients with CS at presentation were analyzed and risk factors for CS and for the primary outcome of in-hospital mortality were identified. A modified Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions shock classification was created and patients were staged accordingly. RESULTS: A total of 803 hospitalizations for ADHF were identified in 591 unique patients (median age 7.6 years). CS occurred in 207 (26%) hospitalizations. ADHF hospitalizations with CS were characterized by worse systolic function (P = 0.040), higher B-type natriuretic peptide concentration (P = 0.032), and more frequent early severe renal (P = 0.023) and liver (P < 0.001) injury than those without CS. Children presenting in CS received mechanical ventilation (87% vs 26%) and mechanical circulatory support (45% vs 16%) more frequently (both P < 0.001). Analyzing only the most recent ADHF hospitalization, children with CS were at increased risk of in-hospital mortality compared with children without CS (28% vs 11%; OR: 1.91; 95% CI: 1.05-3.45; P = 0.033). Each higher CS stage was associated with greater inpatient mortality (OR: 2.40-8.90; all P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: CS occurs in 26% of pediatric hospitalizations for ADHF and is independently associated with hospital mortality. A modified Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions classification for CS severity showed robust association with increasing mortality.

Research Gaps in Pediatric Heart Failure: Defining the Gaps and Then Closing Them Over the Next Decade.

Given the numerous opportunities and the wide knowledge gaps in pediatric heart failure, an international group of pediatric heart failure experts with diverse backgrounds were invited and tasked with identifying research gaps in each pediatric heart failure domain that scientists and funding agencies need to focus on over the next decade.

Infraclavicular block in children: Is blocking lateral or posterior cord equally successful?

Background and Aims: The most effective approach for infraclavicular brachial plexus block in adults is to target the posterior cord, usually situated posterior to axillary artery. However, we do not know if this can be extrapolated in children. Our primary objective was to compare the clinical success rate of ultrasound guided infraclavicular brachial plexus block in children with local anesthetic injection aimed at two targets. These were posterior to axillary artery (posterior cord) and lateral to axillary artery (lateral cord). The secondary objectives involved need for intraoperative rescue analgesia, evaluation of duration of analgesia, incidence of complications such as pneumothorax and arterial puncture, comparison of postoperative pain scores and fluoroscopic dye spread pattern was also observed. Material and Methods: It was a randomized, prospective pilot study. Forty children undergoing forearm and hand surgeries were randomized to two groups, in accordance with the target site of the block. Target sites of Group P (20 patients) and Group L (20 patients) were posterior and lateral to the axillary artery, i.e., posterior and lateral cord respectively. Aforesaid objectives were assessed. SPSS (Version 15.0) statistical package was used. Comparison between Group L and P was by using student's unpaired t test for age and weight. Fisher's exact probability test was applied to compare percentages between groups. Results: Blocks of both groups were equally successful. No patient required intraoperative rescue analgesia. Duration of analgesia was comparable. Both groups had no major complications and similar postoperative pain scores. Conclusions: The success rate of infraclavicular brachial plexus block by aiming at the lateral and posterior cord was similar.

Expanding use of the HeartMate 3 ventricular assist device in pediatric and adult patients within the Advanced Cardiac Therapies Improving Outcomes Network (ACTION).

BACKGROUND: We report current outcomes in patients supported with the HeartMate 3 (HM3) ventricular assist device in a multicenter learning network. METHODS: The Advanced Cardiac Therapies Improving Outcomes Network database was queried for HM3 implants between 12/2017 and 5/2022. Clinical characteristics, postimplant course, and adverse events were collected. Patients were stratified according to body surface area (BSA) (<1.4 m2, 1.4-1.8 m2, and >1.8 m2) at device implantation. RESULTS: During the study period, 170 patients were implanted with the HM3 at participating network centers, with median age 15.3years; 27.1% were female. Median BSA was 1.68 m2; the smallest patient was 0.73 m2 (17.7 kg). Most (71.8%) had a diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy. With a median support time of 102.5days, 61.2% underwent transplantation, 22.9% remained supported on device, 7.6% died, and 2.4% underwent device explantation for recovery; the remainder had transferred to another institution or transitioned to a different device type. The most common adverse events included major bleeding (20.8%) and driveline infection (12.9%); ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke were encountered in 6.5% and 1.2% of patients, respectively. Patients with BSA <1.4 m2 had a higher incidence of infection, renal dysfunction, and ischemic stroke. CONCLUSIONS: In this updated cohort of predominantly pediatric patients supported with the HM3 ventricular assist device, outcomes are excellent with <8% mortality on device. Device-related adverse events including stroke, infection, and renal dysfunction were more commonly seen in smaller patients, highlighting opportunities for improvements in care.

Atypical infiltrates on endomyocardial biopsy are associated with adverse outcomes in pediatric heart transplantation.

BACKGROUND: The significance of atypical infiltrates (eosinophils or plasma cells) on endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) after pediatric heart transplant (HTx) is not known. We hypothesized that atypical infiltrates are associated with worse post-HTx outcomes. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients <21 years old who underwent primary HTx between 2013 and 2017. Multiorgan transplants were excluded. The presence of atypical infiltrates and burden of atypical infiltrates (rare vs predominant) on EMB were recorded. Primary outcome was a composite of cardiac allograft vasculopathy, graft failure (relisting or retransplant), or death. Presence of atypical infiltrates was evaluated: (1) overall using Cox regression with time-dependent covariates and (2) if present by 1 year post-HTx using Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS: Atypical infiltrates were present in 24 out of 95 patients (25%) and were associated with a higher likelihood of reaching the composite outcome (hazard ratio (HR) 6.22, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.60-14.89, p < 0.0001). This persisted when controlling for rejection in multivariable analysis. There was also a greater risk of the composite outcome if ≥2 nonconsecutive EMBs had atypical infiltrates (HR 11.80, 95%CI 3.17-43.84, p = 0.0002) or if atypical infiltrates were the predominant feature on EMB (HR 30.58, 95%CI 9.34-100.06, p < 0.0001). Patients with atypical infiltrates by 1-year post-HTx had a 5-year freedom from the composite outcome of 48%, compared to 90% if no atypical infiltrates had been present by this timepoint (log rank p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of atypical infiltrates on EMB is associated with significantly worse outcomes in children following HTx. These patients require closer follow-up to assess for developing graft dysfunction.

Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy is under-recognized in end-stage pediatric heart failure: A 36-year single-center experience.

BACKGROUND: Although ventricular failure is a late finding in adults with AC, we hypothesize that this is a presenting symptom in pediatric heart failure patients who undergo HT and that their ventricular arrhythmia burden could differentiate AC from other cardiomyopathies. METHODS: We performed a single-center retrospective cohort study reviewing 457 consecutive pediatric (≤18 years) HT recipients at our institution. Explanted hearts were examined to establish the primary diagnosis, based on pathologic findings. Demographic and clinical variables were compared between AC versus non-HCM cardiomyopathy cases. RESULTS: Forty-five percent (n = 205/457) had non-HCM cardiomyopathies as the underlying primary diagnosis. Ten cases (10/205 = 4.9%) were diagnosed with AC. All 10 had biventricular disease. In 8/10 patients (80%), AC diagnosis was unrecognized pre-HT. Compared with non-AC cardiomyopathies, the AC group was older at diagnosis (9.3 years vs. 4.3 years, p = .012) and transplant (11.1 years vs. 6.5 years, p = .010), had more ventricular arrhythmias (80.0% vs 32.8%, p = .003), and required more anti-arrhythmic use (80.0% vs 32.3%, p = .001). Genetic testing yielded causative pathogenic variants in all tested individuals (n = 5/5, 100%). CONCLUSION: AC is often an unrecognized cardiomyopathy pretransplant in children who undergo HT. Pediatric non-HCM phenotypes with heart failure who have a significant ventricular arrhythmia burden should be investigated for AC.

Relation of Low Chloride Concentration to Diuretic Efficiency and Transplant-Free Survival in Children Hospitalized With Heart Failure.

Serum chloride plays an important role in fluid homeostasis and is associated with impaired diuretic responsiveness and mortality in adults with heart failure (HF). We sought to characterize the relationship of serum chloride and diuretic efficiency (DE) and to determine its prognostic importance in children hospitalized with acute decompensated HF (ADHF). We studied DE, defined as net fluid output/kg+constant per mg of loop diuretic/kg, in 200 children hospitalized with ADHF. Median serum chloride at admission was 102 mmol/L (interquartile range 99 to 105 mmol/L), and hypochloremia (chloride ≤96 mmol/L) was present in 16% of the population at admission. Serum chloride correlated with serum sodium (r = 0.66; p < 0.001) and bicarbonate (r = -0.39; p < 0.001). In the adjusted analysis, lower chloride was associated with reduced DE (p < 0.001). Serum sodium was associated with DE on the unadjusted analysis; however, the association was eliminated when added to the model with chloride (p = 0.442). Lower chloride was also associated with features of inadequate decongestion during hospitalization: a positive fluid balance (p = 0.003), greater cumulative loop diuretic dose per weight (p = 0.001), addition of a thiazide diuretic during hospitalization (p < 0.001), less weight loss (p = 0.025), and longer length of stay (p = 0.003). Chloride concentration was independently associated with death or transplant 1 year after admission (hazard ratio 0.94; p < 0.001). As a dichotomous variable, hypochloremia was independently associated with reduced DE (p < 0.001) and decreased 1-year transplant-free survival (hazard ratio 2.3, p < 0.001). Lower serum chloride at hospital admission is strongly and independently associated with impaired DE and reduced transplant-free survival in children hospitalized with ADHF.

Influence of Parental Awareness Drive on Preoperative Fasting Compliance in Pediatric Day Care Surgery.

Context: Optimum preoperative fasting is imperative for the prevention of aspiration in pediatric patients. The current guidelines advocate 2-4-6 rule for the same. However, direct supervision is lacking in large volume centers. Aims: Thus, we aimed to determine the fasting compliance of children preoperatively and to ascertain whether parents understood the significance and purpose of optimum fasting. Materials and Methods: Design - A prospective questionnaire-based study regarding preoperative fasting was performed in pediatric patients aged 1-10 years scheduled for "day care surgery" or "same day admission surgery" over 12 weeks. Thereafter, parental awareness drive was carried out, and a re-audit was performed with a questionnaire in the next cohort of patients. Results: The number of patients in the pre and postcounseling groups were 98 and 99. Thirteen percent of the patients were optimally fasted for solids initially. Re-audit confirmed compliance increased to 46%. Patients fasting adequately (2-3 h) for clear fluids increased from 22.4% to 51.5% postcounseling. The number for optimally breast-fed children increased postaudit (23.1%-39.1%). Consequent to the drive, parental awareness increased and 49.5% parents knew that only plain water was permitted during fasting. Number of parents considering preoperative fasting important increased from 39.8% to 79.7%. Initially, 27.6% of the parents did not know the reason for fasting, which reduced to 3% postaudit. Conclusion: Parents are misinformed and ignorant about optimum preoperative fasting. Adequate education and awareness to improve their knowledge was associated with increased compliance for optimal fasting.

Interpretation of Oxygen Saturation in Congenital Heart Disease: Fact and Fallacy.

Oxygen saturation is the percentage of hemoglobin that is saturated with oxygen, converting it to oxyhemoglobin. Oxygen saturation is a critical part of the physical examination of children with congenital heart disease (CHD). The expected oxygen saturation of a patient with CHD depends on their anatomical lesion, their previous surgeries, and any additional pulmonary or systemic pathology that may derange their saturation. Oxygen saturation can be noninvasively measured using pulse oximetry. Pulse oximetry is based on the differential absorption of infrared and red light by oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin, with the former absorbing more infrared than the latter. Pulse oximetry readings may be inaccurate in settings of low cardiac output, peripheral vasoconstriction, arrhythmia, hypothermia, and venous pulsations. The use of pulse oximetry in the care of a child with CHD begins with the newborn critical CHD screen. A failed screen indicates a need for further investigation, such as repeated pulse oximetry or echocardiography. The oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve may be used to estimate the partial pressure of oxygen in the blood at various oxygen saturations. It is also a marker of the affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen, with a right-shifted curve indicating a higher oxygen tension needed to saturate hemoglobin. This is a helpful adaptation of the body to situations of stress such as fever, acidosis, and hypercapnia. An understanding of these concepts is paramount for providers caring for patients with known or potential CHD in any setting to appropriately interpret and respond to abnormal saturations for each child.

Diagnostic and therapeutic application of thoracic epidural in a child with intractable cardiac arrhythmias: A case report.

A 3-year-old boy presented with episodes of uneasiness and transient loss of consciousness. Atrial tachyarrhythmias with rapid ventricular rate was diagnosed and initially unsuccessfully treated with oral antiarrhythmic drugs. Subsequent Holter monitoring revealed ventricular arrhythmias. Despite pharmacologic treatment, he needed numerous cardioversions. Surgical sympathectomy was planned. Initially, sympathectomy was achieved using a continuous high thoracic epidural block and was performed to ascertain the efficacy of the thoracic sympathectomy. This successfully reduced the ventricular arrhythmias and the need for antiarrhythmic agents. The epidural infusion was also used for pain relief following the subsequent surgical sympathectomy.

Bivalirudin or Unfractionated Heparin for Anticoagulation in Pediatric Patients on Continuous Flow Ventricular Assist Device Support: Single-Center Retrospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVES: Bivalirudin is a direct thrombin inhibitor that is being increasingly used for anticoagulation in children after ventricular assist device (VAD) implantation. While the data on bivalirudin use in pulsatile flow VADs are growing, reports on its use in patients on continuous flow (CF) VAD as well as comparisons of associated outcomes with unfractionated heparin (UFH) remain limited. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Single tertiary-quaternary referral center. PATIENTS: All patients less than 21 years old on CF-VAD support who received bivalirudin or UFH for anticoagulation between the years 2016 and 2020. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Clinical characteristics compared between the cohorts included time to target range of anticoagulation, markers of hemolysis, and prevalence of hemocompatibility-related adverse events such as major hemorrhagic complications, ischemic stroke, and pump thrombosis. In 42 unique patients (41 HeartWare HVAD [Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN], one HeartMate 3 LVAD [Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL]) during the study period, a total of 67 encounters of IV anticoagulation infusions (29 UFH and 38 bivalirudin) were retrospectively reviewed. In comparison with use of UFH, bivalirudin was associated with lesser odds of major bleeding complications (odds ratio [OR], 0.29; 95% CI, 0.09-0.97; p = 0.038). We failed to identify any difference in odds of major thrombotic complications (OR, 2.53; 95% CI, 0.47-13.59; p = 0.450). Eight of the patients (28%) on UFH were switched to bivalirudin due to hemorrhagic or thrombotic complications or inability to achieve therapeutic anticoagulation, while two of the patients (5%) on bivalirudin were switched to UFH due to hemorrhagic complications. Bivalirudin was used for a "washout" in eight cases with concern for pump thrombosis-six had resolution of the pump thrombosis, while two needed pump exchange. CONCLUSIONS: Use of bivalirudin for anticoagulation in patients on CF-VAD support was associated with lesser odds of hemorrhagic complications compared with use of UFH. Bivalirudin "washout" was successful in medical management of six of eight cases of possible pump thrombosis.

Prevalence of Cardiac Dysfunction in Malawian Children With Severe Febrile Illness.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence of left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) in Malawian children with severe febrile illness and to explore associations between LVSD and mortality and lactate levels. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Pediatric ward of a tertiary government referral hospital in Malawi. PATIENTS: Children between 60 days and 10 years old with severe febrile illness (fever with at least one sign of impaired perfusion plus altered mentation or respiratory distress) were enrolled at admission from October 2017 to February 2018. INTERVENTIONS: Focused cardiac ultrasound (FoCUS) was performed, and serum lactate was measured for each child at enrollment, with repeat FoCUS the following day. LV systolic function was later categorized as normal, reduced, severely reduced, or hyperdynamic by two pediatric cardiologists blinded to clinical course and outcomes. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Fifty-four children were enrolled. LVSD was present in 14 children (25.9%; 95% CI, 15.4-40.3%), of whom three had severely reduced function. Thirty patients (60%) had a lactate greater than 2.5 mmol/L, of which 20 (40%) were markedly elevated (>5 mmol/L). Ten children died during admission (18.5%). Of children who survived, 22.7% had decreased LV systolic function versus 40% of those who died. Dysfunction was not associated with mortality or elevated lactate. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac dysfunction may be present in one in four Malawian children with severe febrile illness, and mortality in these patients is especially high. Larger studies are needed to further clarify the role cardiac dysfunction plays in mortality and integrate practical bedside assessments for decision support around individualized resuscitation strategies.

Ventricular assist device support for children with chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy and advanced heart failure: Perspectives gained from a single-center experience.

BACKGROUND: Guidance and data on ventricular assist device (VAD) support for children with chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy, particularly within the first 2 years after chemotherapy, are limited. METHODS: We performed a single-center retrospective case series, reviewing medical records of children <18 years of age with chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy and advanced heart failure (HF) who received durable VAD support. RESULTS: Six patients met inclusion criteria-5 HeartWare™ HVAD, 1 Berlin Heart EXCOR® . Median age at cancer diagnosis was 6 years (IQR 4.5-10 years). Median dose of anthracycline received was 540 mg/m2 (IQR 450-630 mg/m2 ). All patients developed HF within 1 year after initiation of cancer treatment (median 8 months, IQR 6-11.5 months) and were initiated on durable VAD support at a median of 8 months after completion of cancer treatment (IQR 3.3-43.5 months). Four patients had significant right ventricular dysfunction needing oral pulmonary vasodilator therapy, one patient had a major bleeding complication, and two patients had thromboembolic strokes while on VAD support. Median duration of VAD support was 7.5 months (IQR 3-11.3 months). Two patients underwent VAD explant due to recovery of LV function, one died due to cancer progression, and three underwent heart transplantation. CONCLUSIONS: Durable VAD support should be considered as a therapeutic option for children who have advanced HF due to chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy, even within 2 years of completing cancer treatment. A multi-disciplinary approach is essential for appropriate patient selection prior to implant and to ensure comprehensive care throughout the duration of VAD support.

Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Infants With Cardiac Surgery Associated Acute Kidney Injury.

BACKGROUND: Infants who undergo surgery for congenital heart disease are at risk of neurodevelopmental delay. Cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CS-AKI) is common but its association with neurodevelopment has not been explored. METHODS: This was a single-center retrospective observational study of infants who underwent cardiac surgery in the first year of life who had neurodevelopmental testing using the Bayley Scale for Infant Development, third edition. Single and recurrent episodes of stages 2 and 3 CS-AKI were determined. RESULTS: Of 203 children with median age at first surgery of 12 days, 31% had one or more episodes of severe CS-AKI; of those, 16% had recurrent CS-AKI. Median age at neurodevelopmental assessment was 20 months. The incidence of delay was similar for patients with and patients without CS-AKI but all children with recurrent CS-AKI had a delay in one or more domains and had significantly lower scores in all three domains, namely, cognitive, language, and motor. CONCLUSIONS: This study has assessed the association of CS-AKI with neurodevelopmental delay after surgery for congenital heart disease in infancy. Infants who have recurrent CS-AKI in the first year of life are more likely to be delayed and have lower neurodevelopmental scores.

Poor efficacy of oral iron replacement therapy in pediatric patients with heart failure.

INTRODUCTION: Iron deficiency is associated with worse outcomes in children and adults with systolic heart failure. While oral iron replacement has been shown to be ineffective in adults with heart failure, its efficacy in children with heart failure is unknown. We hypothesised that oral iron would be ineffective in replenishing iron stores in ≥50% of children with heart failure. METHODS: We performed a single-centre retrospective cohort study of patients aged ≤21 years with systolic heart failure and iron deficiency who received oral iron between 01/2013 and 04/2019. Iron deficiency was defined as ≥2 of the following: serum iron <50 mcg/dL, serum ferritin <20 ng/mL, transferrin >300 ng/mL, transferrin saturation <15%. Iron studies and haematologic indices pre- and post-iron therapy were compared using paired-samples Wilcoxon test. RESULTS: Fifty-one children with systolic heart failure and iron deficiency (median age 11 years, 49% female) met inclusion criteria. Heart failure aetiologies included cardiomyopathy (51%), congenital heart disease (37%), and history of heart transplantation with graft dysfunction (12%). Median dose of oral iron therapy was 2.9 mg/kg/day of elemental iron, prescribed for a median duration of 96 days. Follow-up iron testing was available for 20 patients, of whom 55% (11/20) remained iron deficient despite oral iron therapy. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report on the efficacy of oral iron therapy in children with heart failure. Over half of the children with heart failure did not respond to oral iron and remained iron deficient.

Outcomes following use of pediatric and young adult donor hearts with bicuspid aortic valves: A single-center case series.

BACKGROUND: Valvular disease in pediatric and young adult donor hearts may be a relative contraindication to graft use. Outcomes following the use of donor hearts with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) have not been previously reported in children. We describe 4 cases of pediatric heart transplantation (HTx) utilizing a donor heart with a BAV. CASE SERIES: Of the 469 HTx included in this study, 4 utilized a donor heart with a BAV. All recipients were female; median age was 11 years (range 0.3 to 19 years). In all cases, the BAV was not discovered until after HTx. All donors were less than 30 years old. The patients were followed for a median of 6 years (range 2 to 9 years) with all patients alive at last follow-up. Two patients have transitioned to adult care, and 2 patients continue to follow in our clinic. In follow-up, no patient has required an aortic valve intervention or had infective endocarditis. At last review, no patient had greater than mild aortic insufficiency or more than mild aortic stenosis. Three patients developed mild-to-moderate left ventricular hypertrophy in the first year post-transplant that improved over time. One patient experienced a peri-operative embolic stroke at time of transplant unrelated to the BAV. CONCLUSION: On short- and intermediate-term follow-up, pediatric and young adult donor hearts with BAV demonstrated acceptable graft longevity and valvular function. A functionally normal BAV in a pediatric heart transplant donor should not be a contraindication to organ acceptance.

Trends in Body Mass Index and Association With Outcomes in Pediatric Patients on Continuous Flow Ventricular Assist Device Support.

Data are limited regarding body mass index (BMI) in pediatric patients supported by ventricular assist devices (VAD) and associated clinical outcomes and complications. We performed a retrospective single-center cohort study including patients aged ≤21 years on durable continuous-flow VAD support for ≥30 days from 2009 to 2020. Patients were classified based on BMI percentile at implant using the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria: underweight (<5th percentile), healthy weight (5th-<85th percentile, reference group), overweight (85th-<95th percentile), and obese (≥95th percentile). Primary outcomes were hospital mortality and length of stay (LOS) after implant. Secondary outcomes included infectious complications and pump thrombosis. Seventy-two patients (58 HeartWare, 13 HeartMateII, 1 HeartMate3) were included. At implant, the study cohort comprised 13% underweight, 53% healthy weight, 18% overweight, and 17% obese. BMI increased across all categories during support, with 29% gaining BMI categories. No patients with obesity reduced their BMI category. At explant, the study cohort comprised 1% underweight, 54% healthy weight, 22% overweight, and 22% obese. There was no significant difference in hospital mortality, postoperative LOS, or pump thrombosis. Patients who were overweight had more frequent non-VAD infections. Patients with obesity required longer duration on VAD support and were less likely to be transplanted. We concluded that pediatric patients on VAD support who are overweight or have obesity do not improve their BMI and instead have significant increase. Larger studies are needed to assess the impact of abnormal BMI on VAD complications in pediatric patients.