Hospitalization Trends and Health Resource Use for Adult Congenital Heart Disease-Related Heart Failure

Impact of heart failure on reoperation in adult congenital heart disease: An innovative machine learning model

OBJECTIVES

The study objectives were to evaluate the association between preoperative heart failure and reoperative cardiac surgical outcomes in adult congenital heart disease and to develop a risk model for postoperative morbidity/mortality.

METHODS

Single-institution retrospective cohort study of adult patients with congenital heart disease undergoing reoperative cardiac surgery between January 1, 2010, and March 30, 2022. Heart failure defined clinically as preoperative diuretic use and either New York Heart Association Class II to IV or systemic ventricular ejection fraction less than 40%. Composite outcome included operative mortality, mechanical circulatory support, dialysis, unplanned noncardiac reoperation, persistent neurologic deficit, and cardiac arrest. Multivariable logistic regression and machine learning analysis using gradient boosting technology were performed. Shapley statistics determined feature influence, or impact, on model output.

RESULTS

Preoperative heart failure was present in 376 of 1011 patients (37%); those patients had longer postoperative length of stay (6 [5-8] vs 5 [4-7] days, P < .001), increased postoperative mechanical circulatory support (21/376 [6%] vs 16/635 [3%], P = .015), and decreased long-term survival (84% [80%-89%] vs 90% [86%-93%]) at 10 years (P = .002). A 7-feature machine learning risk model for the composite outcome achieved higher area under the curve (0.76) than logistic regression, and ejection fraction was most influential (highest mean |Shapley value|). Additional risk factors for the composite outcome included age, number of prior cardiopulmonary bypass operations, urgent/emergency procedure, and functionally univentricular physiology.

CONCLUSIONS

Heart failure is common among adult patients with congenital heart disease undergoing cardiac reoperation and associated with longer length of stay, increased postoperative mechanical circulatory support, and decreased long-term survival. Machine learning yields a novel 7-feature risk model for postoperative morbidity/mortality, in which ejection fraction was the most influential.

Arrhythmia Burden Among Adult Patients With Congenital Heart Disease: A Population-Based Study

BACKGROUND

A significant percentage of patients with congenital heart disease surviving into adulthood will develop arrhythmias. These arrhythmias are associated with an increased risk of adverse events and death. We aimed to assess arrhythmia prevalence, risk factors, and associated health care usage in a large national cohort of patients with adult congenital heart disease.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Adults with a documented diagnosis of congenital heart disease, insured by Clalit and Maccabi health services between January 2007 and December 2011, were included. We assessed the associations between arrhythmia and subsequent hospitalization rates and death with mixed negative binomial and Cox proportional hazard models, respectively. Among 11 653 patients with adult congenital heart disease (median age, 47 years [interquartile range, 31-62]), 8.7% had a tachyarrhythmia at baseline, 1.5% had a conduction disturbance, and 0.5% had both. Among those without a baseline arrhythmia, 9.2% developed tachyarrhythmias, 0.9% developed a conduction disturbance, and 0.3% developed both during the study period. Compared with no arrhythmia (reference group), arrhythmia in the previous 6 months was associated with a higher multivariable adjusted hospitalization rate, 1.33-fold higher than the rate of the reference group (95% CI, 1.00-1.76) for ventricular arrhythmia, 1.27-fold higher (95% CI, 1.17-1.38) for atrial arrhythmias, and 1.33-fold higher (95% CI, 1.04-1.71) for atrioventricular block. Atrial tachyarrhythmias were associated with an adjusted mortality hazard ratio (HR) of 1.65 (95% CI, 1.44-2.94), and ventricular tachyarrhythmias with a >2-fold increase in mortality risk (HR, 2.06 [95% CI, 1.44-2.94]).

CONCLUSIONS

Arrhythmias are significant comorbidities in the adult congenital heart disease population and have a significant impact on health care usage and survival.

Epidemiology and Definition of Heart Failure in Adult Congenital Heart Disease

Adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) are facing lifelong complications, notably heart failure (HF). This review focuses on classifications, incidence, prevalence, and mortality of HF related to ACHD. Diagnosing HF in ACHD is intricate due to anatomic variations, necessitating comprehensive clinical evaluations. Hospitalizations and resource consumption for ACHD HF have significantly risen compared with non-ACHD HF patients. With more than 30% prevalence in complex cases, HF has become the leading cause of death in ACHD. These alarming trends underscore the insufficient understanding of ACHD-related HF manifestations and management challenges within the context of aging, complexity, and comorbidity.

Medical Therapy and Monitoring in Adult Congenital Heart Disease Heart Failure

Heart failure (HF) in adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) is an increasingly common problem facing ACHD and advanced heart disease and transplant providers. Patients are highly nuanced, and therapies are poorly studied. Standard HF medications are often used in patients who are not targets of large clinical trials. HF management in this data-free zone requires focused, comprehensive team-based care and close follow-up and communication with patients.

Hospital Utilization for Coronary Artery Disease, 1997-2014

BACKGROUND

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of cardiovascular morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs in the United States. There are few reports on how public health and payment reforms might have influenced inpatient hospital use among patients with CAD.

OBJECTIVE

This study describes trends in hospital discharges, hospital charges, and discharge destinations in a national sample of patients with CAD between 1997 and 2014.

METHODS

This was a longitudinal study with descriptive analysis of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project of National Inpatient Sample data.

FINDINGS

During this study period, the total number of discharges was 1 333 996. Patients with CAD between 65 and 84 years old were among the highest users of inpatient hospital services, followed by those in the 45- to 64-year age group. The death rate increased from 5961 to 7217 per 10 000 patients during this time. The mean charge increased more than 5 times, from $9100 to $49 643. There was a large difference in mean hospital charges in urban ($51 666) and rural ($25 548) locations in 2014. Coronary artery disease patients with private insurance paid more than those with Medicaid and Medicare plans. The discharge to home and healthcare costs increased by 4.1% and 4.8%, respectively.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS

Future researchers should use data sets, such as Medicare claims/Medical Expenditure Panel Study, that can provide comprehensive insights into patient-level factors influencing the use of inpatient care services among patients with CAD. Healthcare providers in posthospital settings should be well skilled in providing advanced cardiac rehabilitation and education to patients with CAD.

Prevalence of anxiety and depression in adult patients with CHD

INTRODUCTION

CHD are among the most common congenital defects. Due to the chronic nature of CHD, patients face various risk factors that threaten their mental health. However, a comprehensive understanding of the medical and social predictors of mental health issues in adults with CHD is lacking. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of anxiety and depression in adults with CHD.

METHODS

This cross-sectional descriptive study focused on adults with CHD in Kerman, Iran. The participants completed demographic information alongside two psychological assessment tools: the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS)-21. The data were analyzed using SPSS 26.

FINDINGS

The mean age of the participants was 29.94 ± 12.36 years, and 63.8% were female. According to the DASS, 73.4% did not have depression, 61% did not have anxiety, and 76.2% did not have stress. In total, 19% had mild stress, and 4.8% had moderate stress. According to the BAI, 27.6% did not have anxiety. Individual characteristics were not significantly associated with depression. However, gender, age, and type of surgery were significantly associated with anxiety. Cyanosis was significantly associated with stress.

CONCLUSION

The results show that mental disorders like depression, anxiety, and stress are highly prevalent in adults with CHD. The prevalence depends on individual factors such as age, gender, and disease severity. Therefore, it is recommended that mental disorders in this population be evaluated and treated accurately.

Mortality and Morbidity of Heart Failure Hospitalization in Adult Patients With Congenital Heart Disease

BACKGROUND

Little is known about outcomes following heart failure (HF) hospitalization among adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) in the United States. We aim to compare the outcomes of HF versus non-HF hospitalizations in adults with CHD.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Using a national deidentified administrative claims data set, patients with adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) hospitalized with and without HF (ACHDHF+, ACHDHF-) were characterized to determine the predictors of 90-day and 1-year mortality and quantify the risk of mortality, major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events, and health resource use. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to compare ACHDHF+ versus ACHDHF- for risk of events and health resource use. Of 26 454 unique ACHD admissions between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2020, 5826 (22%) were ACHDHF+ and 20 628 (78%) were ACHDHF-. The ACHD HF+ hospitalizations increased from 6.6% to 14.0% (P<0.0001). Over a mean follow-up period of 2.23 ± 2.19 years, patients with ACHDHF+ had a higher risk of mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 1.86 [95% CI, 1.67-2.07], P<0.001), major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (HR, 1.73 [95% CI, 1.63-1.83], P<0.001) and health resource use including rehospitalization (HR, 1.09 [95% CI, 1.05-1.14], P<0.001) and increased postacute care service use (HR, 1.56 [95% CI, 1.32-1.85], P<0.001). Cardiology clinic visits within 30 days of hospital admission were associated with lower 90-day and 1-year all-cause mortality (odds ratio [OR], 0.62 [95% CI, 0.49-0.78], P<0.001; OR, 0.69 [95% CI, 0.58-0.83], P<0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

HF hospitalization is associated with increased risk of mortality and morbidity with high health resource use in patients with ACHD. Recent cardiology clinic attendance appears to mitigate these risks.

Risk factors and early outcomes of repeat sternotomy in 1960 adults with congenital heart disease: A 30-year, single-center study

OBJECTIVE

Patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) increasingly live into adulthood, often requiring cardiac reoperation. We aimed to assess the outcomes of adults with CHD (ACHD) undergoing repeat sternotomy at our institution.

METHODS

Review of our institution's cardiac surgery database identified 1960 ACHD patients undergoing repeat median sternotomy from 1993 to 2023. The primary outcome was early mortality, and the secondary outcome was a composite end point of mortality and significant morbidity. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine factors independently associated with outcomes.

RESULTS

Of the 1960 ACHDs patient undergoing repeat sternotomy, 1183 (60.3%) underwent a second, third (n = 506, 25.8%), fourth (n = 168, 8.5%), fifth (n = 70, 3.5%), and sixth sternotomy or greater (n = 33, 1.6%). CHD diagnoses were minor complexity (n = 145, 7.4%), moderate complexity (n = 1380, 70.4%), and major complexity (n = 435, 22.1%). Distribution of procedures included valve (n = 549, 28%), congenital (n = 625, 32%), aortic (n = 104, 5.3%), and major procedural combinations (n = 682, 34.7%). Overall early mortality was 3.1%. Factors independently associated with early mortality were older age at surgery, CHD of major complexity, preoperative renal failure, preoperative ejection fraction, urgent operation, and postoperative blood transfusion. In addition, sternotomy number and bypass time were independently associated with the composite outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the increase in early mortality with sternotomy number, sternotomy number was not independently associated with early mortality but with increased morbidity. Improvement strategies should target factors leading to urgent operations, early referral, along with operative efficiency including bypass time and blood conservation.

Outcomes of Heart Failure Hospitalizations in Adult Patients With Coarctation of Aorta: Report From National Inpatient Sample

Coarctation of aorta (CoA) is a common congenital anomaly which portends patients to early diastolic and systolic heart failure. In this retrospective cohort study, we aimed to evaluate the impact of CoA on heart failure hospitalization. Using the national inpatient sample, the study compared the outcomes of heart failure hospitalization between patients with and without CoA. We noted increasing prevalence of CoA related heart failure admissions over the last decade. Heart failure patients with CoA were younger (mean age 57 vs 71.6 years, P < 0.001), had a longer length of stay (7.4 vs 5.4 days, P < 0.001), and a higher incidence of cardiogenic shock (6.5% vs 2.1%, P = 0.001). However, there was no statistically significant difference in in-hospital mortality (OR 1.45, 95% CI: 0.58, 3.62, P = 0.421) between both groups. These findings demonstrate that CoA increase healthcare resource utilization in patients admitted with heart failure without any significant increase in in-hospital mortality.

Reduced incidence of cardiac rejection in multi-organ transplants: A propensity matched study

BACKGROUND

Rejection remains a primary cause of graft loss after heart transplant (HT). Recognizing the immunomodulation of multi-organ transplant can enhance our understanding of the mechanisms of cardiac rejection.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study identified patients from the UNOS database with isolated heart (H, N = 37 433), heart-kidney (HKi, N = 1516), heart-liver (HLi, N = 286), and heart-lung (HLu, N = 408) transplants from 2004 to 2019. Propensity score matching reduced baseline differences between groups. Outcomes included risk of rejection prior to transplant hospital discharge and within 1 year, and mortality within 1 year of transplant.

RESULTS

In the propensity score matched data, the relative risk of being treated for rejection prior to transplant hospital discharge was 61% lower for HKi (RR .39, 95% CI .29, .53) and 87% lower for HLi (RR .13, 95% CI .05, .37) compared to H. Similarly, the probability of being treated for rejection in the first year after transplant remained lower in HKi (RR .45, 95% CI .35, .57) and HLi (RR .13, 95% CI .06, .28) compared to H. The 1-year survival analysis revealed an equivalent risk of death in HKi (HR .84, 95% CI .68, 1.03) and HLi (HR 1.41, 95% CI .83, 2.41) compared to H, while HLu had a higher risk of death in the first year after transplant (HR 1.65, 95% CI 1.17, 2.33).

CONCLUSIONS

Recipients of HKi and HLi experience a reduced risk of rejection when compared to H, but an equivalent risk of 1 yr mortality. These findings have important implications for the future of HT medicine.

Improving long-term care and outcomes of congenital heart disease: fulfilling the promise of a healthy life

Advances in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment for congenital heart disease (CHD), the most common birth defect in China, have drastically improved survival for individuals with the disease. However, China's current health system is not well prepared to manage the growing population of people with CHD and their complex medical needs, which range from early detection of the condition and intervention for physical, neurodevelopmental, and psychosocial impairment, to long-term management of major complications and chronic health problems. Health disparities caused by long-standing regional differences in access to care pose challenges when major complications such as pulmonary hypertension arise, and when individuals with complex CHD become pregnant and give birth. Currently, no data sources track neonates, children, adolescents, and adults with CHD in China and delineate their clinical characteristics and use of health resources. This scarcity of data should warrant attention from the Chinese Government and relevant specialists in the field. In the third paper of the Series on CHD in China, we summarise key literature and current data to identify knowledge gaps and call for concerted efforts by the government, hospitals, clinicians, industries, and charitable organisations to develop an actionable, lifelong framework of congenital cardiac care that is accessible and affordable for all individuals with CHD. TRANSLATION: For the Chinese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Ventricular assist device for end-stage adult congenital heart disease patients: Current status

As long-term surgical outcome of congenital heart disease has continued to improve, most pediatric patients with congenital heart disease are able to reach adulthood. However, adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) patients have increased risk of arrhythmia, valvular diseases, infectious endocarditis, and heart failure. The end-stage ACHD patients with advanced heart failure may require mechanical circulatory support to improve the heart failure symptoms or to recover from circulatory collapse, and may eventually aim to heart transplant or destination therapy. In general, long-term mechanical support for dilated cardiomyopathy or ischemic cardiomyopathy has been achieved with left ventricular assist device with excellent survival outcomes and improved quality of life. However, the ventricular assist device for end-stage ACHD patients can be challenging due to patient-specific anatomical feature, multiple histories of surgical and catheter-based interventions and possible multiple end-organ dysfunctions, and offered less frequently compared to non-ACHD patients. The Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support data published recently showed that ACHD patients receiving long-term mechanical circulatory support consisted <1 % of all registrants and had higher mortality after mechanical support than non-ACHD patients. However, the ACHD patients supported with left ventricular assist device had similar survival with non-ACHD patients and a large proportion of the mortality difference between ACHD and non-ACHD patients seemed to result from operative and perioperative factors. Therefore, the ventricular assist device therapy can be an excellent treatment for selected ACHD patients. In this paper, we describe the current status of ventricular assist device support for end-stage ACHD patients and consideration to the future.

Lifetime risk of comorbidity in patients with simple congenital heart disease: a Danish nationwide study

AIMS

In a continuously ageing population of patients with congenital heart disease (CHD), understanding the long-term risk of morbidity is crucial. The aim of this study was to compare the lifetime risks of developing comorbidities in patients with simple CHD and matched controls.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Using the Danish nationwide registers spanning from 1977 to 2018, simple CHD cases were defined as isolated atrial septal defect (ASD), ventricular septal defect (VSD), pulmonary stenosis, or patent ductus arteriosus in patients surviving until at least 5 years of age. There were 10 controls identified per case. Reported were absolute lifetime risks and lifetime risk differences (between patients with simple CHD and controls) of incident comorbidities stratified by groups and specific cardiovascular comorbidities. Of the included 17 157 individuals with simple CHD, the largest subgroups were ASD (37.7%) and VSD (33.9%), and 52% were females. The median follow-up time for patients with CHD was 21.2 years (interquartile range: 9.4-39.0) and for controls, 19.8 years (9.0-37.0). The lifetime risks for the investigated comorbidities were higher and appeared overall at younger ages for simple CHD compared with controls, except for neoplasms and chronic kidney disease. The lifetime risk difference among the comorbidity groups was highest for neurological disease (male: 15.2%, female: 11.3%), pulmonary disease (male: 9.1%, female: 11.7%), and among the specific comorbidities for stroke (male: 18.9%, female: 11.4%). The overall risk of stroke in patients with simple CHD was mainly driven by ASD (male: 28.9%, female: 17.5%), while the risks of myocardial infarction and heart failure were driven by VSD. The associated lifetime risks of stroke, myocardial infarction, and heart failure in both sexes were smaller in invasively treated patients compared with untreated patients with simple CHD.

CONCLUSION

Patients with simple CHD had increased lifetime risks of all comorbidities compared with matched controls, except for neoplasms and chronic kidney disease. These findings highlight the need for increased attention towards early management of comorbidity risk factors.

Impact of severe valvular heart disease in adult congenital heart disease patients

Background

The clinical impact of valvular heart disease (VHD) in adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) patients is unascertained. Aim of our study was to assess the prevalence and clinical impact of severe VHD (S-VHD) in a real-world contemporary cohort of ACHD patients.

Materials and methods

Consecutive patients followed-up at our ACHD Outpatient Clinic from September 2014 to February 2021 were enrolled. Clinical characteristics and echocardiographic data were prospectively entered into a digitalized medical records database. VHD at the first evaluation was assessed and graded according to VHD guidelines. Clinical data at follow-up were collected. The study endpoint was the occurrence of cardiac mortality and/or unplanned cardiac hospitalization during follow-up.

Results

A total of 390 patients (median age 34 years, 49% males) were included and S-VHD was present in 101 (25.9%) patients. Over a median follow-up time of 26 months (IQR: 12–48), the study composite endpoint occurred in 76 patients (19.5%). The cumulative endpoint-free survival was significantly lower in patients with S-VHD vs. patients with non-severe VHD (Log rank p &lt; 0.001). At multivariable analysis, age and atrial fibrillation at first visit (p = 0.029 and p = 0.006 respectively), lower %Sat O2, higher NYHA class (p = 0.005 for both), lower LVEF (p = 0.008), and S-VHD (p = 0.015) were independently associated to the study endpoint. The likelihood ratio test demonstrated that S-VHD added significant prognostic value (p = 0.017) to a multivariate model including age, severe CHD, atrial fibrillation, %Sat O2, NYHA, LVEF, and right ventricle systolic pressure &gt; 45 mmHg.

Conclusion

In ACHD patients, the presence of S-VHD is independently associated with the occurrence of cardiovascular mortality and hospitalization. The prognostic value of S-VHD is incremental above other established prognostic markers.

Wearable Seismocardiography‐Based Assessment of Stroke Volume in Congenital Heart Disease

Background

Patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) are at risk for the development of low cardiac output and other physiologic derangements, which could be detected early through continuous stroke volume (SV) measurement. Unfortunately, existing SV measurement methods are limited in the clinic because of their invasiveness (eg, thermodilution), location (eg, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging), or unreliability (eg, bioimpedance). Multimodal wearable sensing, leveraging the seismocardiogram, a sternal vibration signal associated with cardiomechanical activity, offers a means to monitoring SV conveniently, affordably, and continuously. However, it has not been evaluated in a population with significant anatomical and physiological differences (ie, children with CHD) or compared against a true gold standard (ie, cardiac magnetic resonance). Here, we present the feasibility of wearable estimation of SV in a diverse CHD population (N=45 patients).

Methods and Results

We used our chest‐worn wearable biosensor to measure baseline ECG and seismocardiogram signals from patients with CHD before and after their routine cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging, and derived features from the measured signals, predominantly systolic time intervals, to estimate SV using ridge regression. Wearable signal features achieved acceptable SV estimation (28% error with respect to cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging) in a held‐out test set, per cardiac output measurement guidelines, with a root‐mean‐square error of 11.48 mL and R 2 of 0.76. Additionally, we observed that using a combination of electrical and cardiomechanical features surpassed the performance of either modality alone.

Conclusions

A convenient wearable biosensor that estimates SV enables remote monitoring of cardiac function and may potentially help identify decompensation in patients with CHD.

Risk of maternal exposure to mixed air pollutants during pregnancy for congenital heart diseases in offspring

OBJECTIVE

To explore the risk of maternal exposure to mixed air pollutants of particulate matter 1 (PM ₁), particulate matter 2.5 (PM _2.5), particulate matter 10 (PM ₁₀) and NO ₂ for congenital heart disease (CHD) in offspring, and to estimate the ranked weights of the above pollutants.

METHODS

6038 CHD patients and 5227 healthy controls from 40 medical institutions in 21 cities in Guangdong Registry of Congenital Heart Disease (GRCHD) from 2007 to 2016 were included. Logistic regression model was used to estimate the effect of maternal exposure to a single air pollutant on the occurrence of CHD in offspring. Spearman correlation coefficient was used to analyze the correlation between various pollutants, and Quantile g-computation was used to evaluate the joint effects of mixed exposure of air pollutants on CHD and the weights of various pollutants.

RESULTS

The exposure levels of PM ₁, PM _2.5, PM ₁₀ and NO ₂ in the CHD group were significantly higher than those in the control group (all P<0.01). The correlation coefficients among PM ₁, PM _2.5, PM ₁₀ and NO ₂ were greater than 0.80. PM ₁, PM _2.5, PM ₁₀ and NO ₂ exposure were associated with a significantly increased risk of CHD in offspring. Mixed exposure of these closely correlated pollutants presented much stronger effect on CHD than exposure of any single pollutants. There was a monotonic increasing relationship between mixed exposure and CHD risk. For each quantile increase in mixed exposure, the risk of CHD increased by 47% ( OR=1.47, 95% CI: 1.34-1.61). Mixed exposure had greater effect on CHD in the early pregnancy compared with middle and late pregnancy, but the greatest effect was the exposure in the whole pregnancy. The weight of PM ₁₀ is the highest in the mixed exposure (81.3%).

CONCLUSIONS

Maternal exposure to the mixture of air pollutants during pregnancy increases the risk of CHD in offspring, and the effect is much stronger than that of single exposure of various pollutants. PM ₁₀ has the largest weights and the strongest effect in the mixed exposure.

Distance to Care, Rural Dwelling Status, and Patterns of Care Utilization in Adult Congenital Heart Disease

Many patients with adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) do not receive guideline-directed care. While distance to an ACHD center has been identified as a potential barrier to care, the impact of distance on care location is not well understood. The Oregon All Payer All Claims database was queried to identify subjects 18-65 years who had a health encounter from 2010 to 2015 with an International Classification of Diseases-9 code consistent with ACHD. Residence area was classified using metropolitan statistical areas and driving distance was queried from Google Maps. Utilization rates and percentages were calculated and odds ratios were estimated using negative binomial and logistic regression. Of 10,199 identified individuals, 52.4% lived < 1 h from the ACHD center, 37.5% 1-4 h, and 10.1% > 4 h. Increased distance from the ACHD center was associated with a lower rate of ACHD-specific follow-up [< 1 h: 13.0% vs. > 4 h: 5.0%, adjusted OR 0.32 (0.22, 0.48)], but with more inpatient, emergency room, and outpatient visits overall. Those who more lived more than 4 h from the ACHD center had less inpatient visits at urban hospitals (55.5% vs. 93.9% in those < 1 h) and the ACHD center (6.2% vs. 18.2%) and more inpatient admissions at rural or critical access hospitals (25.5% vs. 1.9%). Distance from the ACHD center was associated with a decreased probability of ACHD follow-up but higher health service use overall. Further work is needed to identify strategies to improve access to specialized ACHD care for all individuals with ACHD.

Serial cardiac biomarker assessment in adults with congenital heart disease hospitalized for decompensated heart failure

Background:

Biomarkers are increasingly part of assessing and managing heart failure (HF) in adults with congenital heart disease (CHD).

Objectives:

To understand the response of cardiac biomarkers with therapy for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) and the relationship to prognosis after discharge in adults with CHD.

Design:

A prospective, observational cohort study with serial blood biomarker measurements.

Settings:

Single-center study in the inpatient setting with outpatient follow-up.

Participants:

Adults (≥18 years old) with CHD admitted with ADHF between August 1, 2019, and March 1, 2020.

Exposure:

We measured body mass, Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ-12) score, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) at enrollment, discharge, and 1st clinic follow-up visit; soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) was measured at the first two time points.

Measures:

Univariate regression assessed the association between changes in weight, biomarkers, and changes in KCCQ-12 scores, between enrollment and discharge (Δ_{Hospitalization}) and between discharge and 1st clinical follow-up visit (Δ_{Post−discharge}). Wilcoxon rank-sum tests assessed the association between change in biomarkers, KCCQ-12 scores, and the composite outcome of cardiovascular death or rehospitalization for ADHF.

Results:

A total of 26 patients were enrolled. The median age was 51.9 years [IQR: 38.8, 61.2], 13 (54.2%) were women, and median hospital stay was 6.5 days [IQR: 4.0, 15.0] with an associated weight loss of 2.8 kg [IQR −5.1, −1.7]. All three cardiac biomarkers decreased during hospitalization with diuresis while KCCQ-12 scores improved; a greater decrease in sST2 was associated with an improved KCCQ-12 symptom frequency (SF) subdomain score (p = 0.012), but otherwise, there was no significant relationship between biomarkers and KCCQ-12 change. Change in hsCRP and NT-proBNP after discharge was not associated with the composite outcome (n = 8, vs. n = 16 who did not experience the outcome; Δ _{Post-discharge} hsCRP +5.1 vs. −1.0 mg/l, p = 0.061; NT-proBNP +785.0 vs. +130.0 pg/ml, p = 0.220).

Conclusions:

Serial biomarker measurements respond to acute diuresis in adults with CHD hospitalized for ADHF. These results should motivate further research into the use of biomarkers to inform HF therapy in adults with CHD.

Chronic Ventricular Assist Device Support in Adult Congenital Heart Disease Patients: A Children's Hospital Perspective

With improvement in early surgical outcomes in patients with complex congenital heart disease, most patients are now expected to survive to adulthood. As adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) patients age, they are at risk of heart failure, which has become the leading cause of mortality in ACHD. Some who develop advanced heart failure may not be candidates for transplant, and chronic ventricular assist device (VAD) therapy may be the only means of survival. There is limited experience with chronic VAD therapy in ACHD patients, and the outcomes are not well delineated. We describe our center's experience with chronic VAD therapy in ACHD patients receiving care exclusively within our children's hospital.

Contemporary outcomes of durable ventricular assist devices in adults with congenital heart disease as a bridge to heart transplantation

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to compare the clinical characteristics, risk factors, and overall survival outcomes in adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) bridged to transplantation with a ventricular assist device (VAD) versus no-VAD.

METHODS

The study included 894 ACHD patients aged ≥18 years listed for primary heart transplantation between 2010 and 2019 from the United Network for Organ Sharing database. Primary outcomes were waitlist and 1-year post-transplant mortality between VAD and no-VAD ACHD patients.

RESULTS

Of 894 ACHD patients included in the study, 91(10.1%) had VAD support at the time of listing. Patients who needed VAD support were mostly males, heavier, and had higher pulmonary artery pressure than the no-VAD group at the listing. The overall waitlist mortality was 38% in the VAD group than 17% in the no-VAD group (p < 0.01). ECMO use was associated with significantly higher mortality than either group. There was no significant difference in 1-year post-transplant mortality between VAD versus no-VAD at the time of transplant (15% vs. 17%; p = 0.66). Multivariate regression analysis found that BMI <20 kg/m² (hazard ratio (HR) 1.1; p = 0.01), bilirubin >2 mg/dl (HR 1.1; p = 0.03), creatinine >2 mg/dl (HR 1.3; p = 0.04) and ECMO at transplant (HR 1.4; p = 0.03) increased early post-transplant mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

The one-year post-transplant mortality rate was no different for ACHD patients that received VAD versus no-VAD. These findings suggest that a VAD should be considered an option to support ACHD patients as a bridge to heart transplantation.

Association of Insurance Status With Emergent Versus Nonemergent Hospital Encounters Among Adults With Congenital Heart Disease

Background Although the number of hospital visits has exponentially increased for adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) over the past few decades, the relationship between insurance status and hospital encounter type remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between insurance status and emergent versus nonemergent encounters among adults with CHD ≥18 years old. Methods and Results We used California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development Database from January 2005 to December 2015 to determine the trends of insurance status and encounters and the association of insurance status on encounter type among adults with CHD. A total 58 359 nonpregnancy encounters were identified in 6077 patients with CHD. From 2005 to 2015, the number of uninsured encounters decreased by 38%, whereas government insured encounters increased by 124% and private by 79%. Overall, there was a significantly higher proportion of emergent than nonemergent encounters associated with uninsured status (13.0% versus 1.8%; P<0.0001), whereas the proportion of nonemergent encounters associated with private insurance was higher than emergent encounters (35.8% versus 62.4%; P<0.0001). When individual patients with CHD became uninsured, they were ≈5 times more likely to experience an emergent encounter (P<0.0001); upon changing from uninsured to insured, they were significantly less likely to have an emergent encounter (P<0.001). After multivariate adjustment, uninsured status exhibited the highest odds of an emergent rather than nonemergent encounter compared with all other covariates (adjusted odds ratio, 9.20; 95% CI, 7.83-10.8; P<0.0001). Conclusions Efforts to enhance the ability to obtain and maintain insurance throughout the lifetime of patients with CHD might result in meaningful reductions in emergent encounters and a more efficient use of resources.

Long-term outcomes after myocardial infarction in middle-aged and older patients with congenital heart disease-a nationwide study

Aims 

We aimed to describe the risk of myocardial infarction (MI) in middle-aged and older patients with congenital heart disease (ACHD) and to evaluate the long-term outcomes after index MI in patients with ACHD compared with controls.

Methods and results 

A search of the Swedish National Patient Register identified 17 189 patients with ACHD (52.2% male) and 180 131 age- and sex-matched controls randomly selected from the general population who were born from 1930 to 1970 and were alive at 40 years of age; all followed up until December 2017 (mean follow-up 23.2 ± 11.0 years). Patients with ACHD had a 1.6-fold higher risk of MI compared with controls [hazard ratio (HR) 1.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5–1.7, P < 0.001] and the cumulative incidence of MI by 65 years of age was 7.4% in patients with ACHD vs. 4.4% in controls. Patients with ACHD had a 1.4-fold increased risk of experiencing a composite event after the index MI compared with controls (HR 1.4, 95% CI 1.3–1.6, P < 0.001), driven largely by the occurrence of new-onset heart failure in 42.2% (n = 537) of patients with ACHD vs. 29.5% (n = 2526) of controls.

Conclusion 

Patients with ACHD had an increased risk of developing MI and of recurrent MI, new-onset heart failure, or death after the index MI, compared with controls, mainly because of a higher incidence of newly diagnosed heart failure in patients with ACHD. Recognizing and managing the modifiable cardiovascular risk factors should be of importance to reduce morbidity and mortality in patients with ACHD.

Association of Adults With Congenital Heart Disease-Specific Care With Clinical Characteristics and Healthcare Use

Background

Many adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) are cared for by non‐ACHD specialists, if they receive care at all. Little is known about the differences between those who access care at an ACHD center and those who do not access ACHD‐specific care.

Methods and Results

The Oregon All Payer All Claims database was queried to identify subjects aged 18 to 65 years with an International Classification of Diseases,Ninth Revision (ICD‐9) code consistent with ACHD from 2010 to 2015. ACHD center providers were identified using National Provider Identification numbers. Usage rates and percentages were calculated with person‐years in the denominator, and rate ratios and odds ratios (ORs) were estimated using negative binomial and logistic regression. Only 11.7% of identified individuals (N=10 199) were seen at the ACHD center. These individuals were younger (median 36 versus 47 years; P<0.0001) and had higher rates of Medicaid insurance (47.8% versus 28.4%; P<0.0001), heart failure (31.4% versus 15.3%; P<0.0001), and arrhythmia (75.5 versus 49.2%; P<0.0001). They had more visits of all types (outpatient: 79% per year versus 64% per year [age‐adjusted OR, 2.54; 99% CI, 2.24–2.88]; emergency department: 29% versus 22% per year [adjusted OR, 1.34; 99% CI, 1.18–1.52]; inpatient: 17% versus 12.0% per year [adjusted OR, 1.92; 99% CI, 1.67–2.20]). Rates of guideline‐indicated annual echocardiography were low (7.7% overall, 13.4% in patients at the ACHD center).

Conclusions

Patients at an ACHD center comprise a distinct and complex group with a high rate of healthcare use and a relatively higher compliance with guideline‐indicated annual follow‐up. These findings underscore the importance of building and supporting robust systems for ACHD care in the United States.

Heart failure related to adult congenital heart disease: prevalence, outcome and risk factors

Aims

Information on the prevalence, outcome and factors associated with heart failure in patients with adult congenital heart disease (CHD) (ACHD‐HF) is lacking. We aimed at assessing the prevalence and outcome of ACHD‐HF, the variables associated with ACHD‐HF, and the differences between major anatomical/pathophysiological ACHD subgroups.

Methods and results

We included 3905 patients (age 35.4 ± 13.2 years) under active follow‐up in our institution (last visit >2010). Outcome of ACHD‐HF cases was compared with sex‐ and age‐matched cases. Univariable and multivariable binary logistic regression with ACHD‐HF diagnosis as a dependent variable was performed. Overall prevalence of ACHD‐HF was 6.4% (mean age 49.5 ± 16.7 years), but was higher in patients with cyanotic CHD (41%), Fontan circulation (30%), and a systemic right ventricle (25%). All‐cause mortality was higher in ACHD‐HF cases when compared with controls (mortality rate ratio 4.67 (2.36–9.27); P = 0.0001). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, age at latest follow‐up [per 10 years; odds ratio (OR) 1.52; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.31–1.77], infective endocarditis (OR 4.11; 95%CI 1.80–9.38), history of atrial arrhythmia (OR 3.52; 95%CI 2.17–5.74), pacemaker implantation (OR 2.66; 95% CI 1.50–4.72), end‐organ dysfunction (OR 2.41; 95% CI 1.03–5.63), New York Heart Association class (OR 9.28; 95% CI 6.04–14.25), heart rate (per 10 bpm; OR 1.27; 95% CI 1.08–1.50), ventricular dysfunction (OR 3.62; 95% CI 2.54–5.17), and pulmonary hypertension severity (OR 1.66; 95% CI 1.21–2.30) were independently related to the presence of ACHD‐HF. Some variables (age, atrial arrhythmia, pacemaker, New York Heart Association, and ventricular dysfunction) were related to ACHD‐HF in all anatomical/physiological subgroups, whereas others were not.

Conclusions

ACHD‐HF is prevalent especially in complex CHD and is associated with poor prognosis. Our data provide insight in the factors related to ACHD‐HF including differences between specific anatomical and physiological subgroups.

Heart failure in adult congenital heart disease: tetralogy of Fallot

The number of rTOF patients who survive into adulthood is steadily rising, with currently more than 90% reaching the third decade of life. However, rTOF patients are not cured, but rather have a lifelong increased risk for cardiac and non-cardiac complications. Heart failure is recognized as a significant complication. Its occurrence is strongly associated with adverse outcome. Unfortunately, conventional concepts of heart failure may not be directly applicable in this patient group. This article presents a review of the current knowledge on HF in rTOF patients, including incidence and prevalence, the most common mechanisms of heart failure, i.e., valvular pathologies, shunt lesions, left atrial hypertension, primary left heart and right heart failure, arrhythmias, and coronary artery disease. In addition, we will review information regarding extracardiac complications, risk factors for the development of heart failure, clinical impact and prognosis, and assessment possibilities, particularly of the right ventricle, as well as management strategies. We explore potential future concepts that may stimulate further research into this field.

Resource Use and Outcomes of Pediatric Congenital Heart Disease Admissions: 2003 to 2016

Background

Children with congenital heart disease (CHD) are known to consume a disproportionate share of resources, yet there are limited data concerning trends in resource use and mortality among admitted children with CHD. We hypothesize that charges in CHD‐related admissions increased but that mortality improved over time.

Methods and Results

This study, including patients <18 years old with CHD, examined inpatient admissions from the nationally representative Kids' Inpatient Database from 2003 to 2016 in order to assess the frequency, medical complexity, and outcomes of CHD hospital admissions. A total of 859 843 admissions of children with CHD were identified. CHD admissions increased by 31.8% from 2003 to 2016, whereas overall pediatric admissions decreased by 13.4%. Compared with non‐CHD admissions, those with CHD were more likely to be <1 year of age (80.5% versus 63.3%), and to have ≥1 complex chronic condition (39.7% versus 9.3%). For CHD admissions, mortality was higher (2.97% versus 0.31%) and adjusted median charges greater ($48 426 [interquartile range (IQR), $11.932–$161 048] versus $4697 [IQR, $2551–$12 301]) (P<0.0001 for all). Among CHD admissions, whereas adjusted median charges increased from $35 577 (IQR, $9303–$110 439) to $61 696 (IQR, $15 212–$219 237), mortality decreased from 3.2% to 2.7% (P for trend <0.0001). CHD admissions accounted for an increased proportion of all inpatient deaths, from 18.0% in 2003 to 24.5% in 2016.

Conclusions

Children admitted with CHD are 10 times more likely to die than those without CHD and have higher charges. Although the rate of mortality in CHD admissions decreased, children with CHD accounted for an increasing proportion of all pediatric inpatient deaths. Effective resource allocation is critical to optimize outcomes in these high‐risk patients.

Sex Diversity in the Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology Fellowship: The Influence of Geographic Region

OBJECTIVES

To investigate if the lack of sex diversity in adult cardiothoracic anesthesiology fellowships is a result of few female applicants or low acceptance rate.

DESIGN

Retrospective review of adult cardiothoracic anesthesiology applicants and fellows by sex and geographic regions across the United States.

SETTING

Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's adult cardiothoracic anesthesiology fellowship programs across the United States.

PARTICIPANTS

Applicants to adult cardiothoracic anesthesiology fellowship programs and fellows.

INTERVENTIONS

No intervention.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Numerical comparison of male and female applicants by percentage and acceptance rates into adult cardiothoracic anesthesiology fellowship programs in each geographic region. Women comprised between 27% and 35% of applicants from 2013 to 2018. Acceptance rates for men completing residency in the Midwest region ranged between 67% and 84%, and 67% and 87% for women from the Midwest (p = 0.1-0.9). Men from Northeast residencies had acceptance rate of 71% to 86% and women had rate of 69% to 83% (p = 0.2-0.8). Male and female residents from the Southeast had acceptance rates of 65% to 94% and 71% to 93%, respectively (p = 0.3-0.8). The male residents from the Southwest had acceptance rates of 73% to 85%, and female residents had rates between 44% and 100% (p = 0.02-0.8). The male residents from the West had rates of 59% to 88%, female residents had rates between 64% and 100% (p = 0.1-0.7).

CONCLUSIONS

There is an absence of clear identification of the barriers preventing women from entering cardiac anesthesiology. The reasons leading to a male-dominated field of cardiac anesthesiologists stem from fewer female anesthesiology residents applying to cardiothoracic anesthesiology fellowships. No bias against acceptance of women into cardiothoracic anesthesiology fellowships was found.

Greater admissions, mortality and cost of heart failure in adults with congenital heart disease

OBJECTIVE

Limited contemporary data exist regarding outcomes and resource use among adults with congenital heart disease and heart failure (ACHD-HF). This study compared outcomes, emergency department (ED) and hospital resource use, and advanced heart failure (HF) therapies in ACHD-HF versus non-ACHD with HF (HF-non-ACHD).

METHODS

The Nationwide Emergency Department Sample and Nationwide Inpatient Sample were used to analyse outcomes and resource use among ACHD-HF ED visits and hospitalisations from 2006 to 2016. ACHD-HF was stratified by single-ventricle (SV) and two-ventricle (2V) disease.

RESULTS

A total of 76 557 ACHD-HF visits (3.6% SV physiology) and 31 137 414 HF-non-ACHD visits were analysed. ACHD-HFs were younger (SV 33 years (IQR 25-44), 2V 62 years (IQR 45-76); HF-non-ACHD 74 years (IQR 63-83); p<0.001). ACHD-HFs had higher ED admissions (78% vs 70%, p<0.001), longer hospital length of stay (5 days (IQR 2-8) vs 4 days (IQR 2-7), p<0.001) and greater hospital costs ($49K (IQR 2K-121K) vs $32K (17K-66K), p<0.001). Mortality was significantly higher among ACHD-HFs with SV physiology (6.6%; OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1 to 2.3) or 2V physiology (6.3%; OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.3 to 1.5) versus HF-non-ACHD (5.5%). ACHF-HF hospitalisations increased more (46% vs 6% HF-non-ACHD) over a 10-year period, but the proportion receiving ventricular assist device (VAD) (ACHD-HF -2% vs HF-non-ACHD 294%) or transplant (ACHD-HF -37% vs HF-non-ACHD 73%) decreased.

CONCLUSION

ACHD-HFs have significant ED and hospital resource use that has increased over the past 10 years. However, advanced HF therapies (VAD and transplantation) are less commonly used compared with those without adult congenital heart disease.

Hospitalizations in adult patients with congenital heart disease: an emerging challenge

The vast majority of patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) survive into adulthood, but many face lifelong complications, which often result in a hospital admission. The increasing number of hospitalizations in adults with CHD (ACHD) poses a significant challenge for healthcare systems globally, especially as heart failure (HF) is becoming increasingly common in this population and is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Besides HF, other major contributors to this increase in admission volume are hospitalizations related to mild lesions, comorbidities and pregnancies. Ιn-hospital mortality ranges between 0.8 and 6.1%, while hospitalizations related to HF predict medium-term mortality in ACHD population. Understanding the predictors of hospitalization and in-hospital mortality is, therefore, important for ACHD healthcare providers, who should identify patients at risk that require escalation of treatment and/or close monitoring. This article reviews the available literature on hospitalization patterns in ACHD patients, with a focus on HF-related hospital admissions and specific diagnostic subgroups.

Factors affecting adolescents' participation in randomized controlled trials evaluating the effectiveness of healthcare interventions: the case of the STEPSTONES project

Background

Recruitment of adolescents to intervention studies is a known challenge. For randomized controlled trials (RCT) to be generalizable, reach must be assessed, which means ascertaining how many of the intended population actually participated in the trial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reach and representativeness of an RCT evaluating the effectiveness of a complex intervention for adolescents with chronic conditions.

Methods

A mixed methods sequential explanatory design was employed. Firstly, quantitative cross-sectional data from the RCT, patient registries and medical records were collected and analysed regarding baseline differences between participants and non-participants in the trial. Secondly, qualitative data on their reasons for participating or not were collected and analysed with content analysis to explain the quantitative findings.

Results

Participants showed larger differences in effect sizes and a significantly more complex chronic condition than non-participants. No other statistically significant differences were reported, and effect sizes were negligible. Reasons for declining or accepting participation were categorized into three main categories: altruistic reasons, personal reasons and external reasons and factors.

Conclusions

Integration of quantitative and qualitative findings showed that participation in the RCT was affected by disease complexity, the perceived need to give back to healthcare and research and the adolescents’ willingness to engage in their illness. To empower adolescents with chronic conditions and motivate them to participate in research, future intervention studies should consider developing tailored recruitment strategies and communications with sub-groups that are harder to reach.

Impact of mechanical circulatory support on pediatric heart transplant candidates with elevated pulmonary vascular resistance

With the new era of increasing use of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) in children, seemingly more patients with elevated pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) are having positive outcomes. The purpose of this study was to define the effect of MCS on pediatric patients listed for heart transplant with an elevated PVR. The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database was used to identify patients aged 0-18 at the time of listing for heart transplant between 2010 and 2019 who had PVR documented (n = 2081). Patients were divided into MCS (LVAD, RVAD, BiVAD, and TAH) and No MCS groups, then divided by PVR (PVR) at the time of listing: <3, 3-6, and >6 Wood units (WU). MCS was used in 20% overall (n = 426); 57% of those with PVR <3, 27% with PVR 3-6, and 16% with PVR >6. MCS, PVR <3 patients had a higher chance of positive waitlist outcome than all No MCS groups (vs. PVR <3, P = .049; vs. PVR 3-6, P = .004; vs. PVR >6, P < .001). MCS, PVR 3-6 patients had a higher chance of positive waitlist outcome than all No MCS groups (vs. PVR <3, P = .048; vs. PVR 3-6, P = .009; vs. PVR >6, P < .001). MCS, PVR >6 patients had a higher chance of positive waitlist outcome than No MCS, PVR >6 patients (P = .012). Within the No MCS group, patients with a PVR >6 had a higher incidence of negative waitlist outcome compared to PVR <3 (17% vs. 10%, P = .002); this was not the case in the MCS group (5% vs. 6%, P = .693). More patients in the MCS group were ventilator dependent (15% vs. 9%, P < .001) at the time of listing and less likely to have a functional status >50% (43% vs. 73%, P < .001). No significant differences in post-transplant survival were found in pairwise comparisons of MCS and No MCS PVR subgroups. Patients supported with MCS had a significantly higher chance of a positive waitlist outcome than those without such support regardless of PVR status. This was most pronounced with a PVR greater than 6 WU. MCS compared to No MCS patients had better waitlist survival and equivalent post-transplant survival. MCS patients, despite being more ill, had better overall survival regardless of PVR.

Determinants of Survival in Older Adults With Congenital Heart Disease Newly Hospitalized for Heart Failure

BACKGROUND

Nearly 90% of patients with adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) die after the age of 40 years, and heart failure (HF) is the most common cause of death. We aimed to characterize the association between an incident HF hospitalization (HFH) and mortality and to identify the predictors of 1-year postdischarge mortality after incident and repeated HFHs, respectively.

METHODS

Patients with ACHD aged ≥40 years between 2000 and 2010 were identified from the Québec CHD database. We conducted a propensity score-matched study to explore the association between an incident HFH and mortality. We performed Bayesian model averaging to identify the predictors of 1-year postdischarge mortality with a posterior probability ≥50% considered to be evidence of a significant association.

RESULTS

The mortality hazard ratio was high at 6.01 (95% CI, 4.02-10.72) within 1-year postdischarge, decreasing significantly but entering an elevated equilibrium until year 4 with a continued 3-fold increase in death. Kidney dysfunction (hazard ratio, 2.28 [95% credible interval, 1.59-3.28], posterior probability, 100.0%) and a history of ≥2 HFHs in the past 12 months (hazard ratio, 1.77 [95% credible interval, 1.18-2.66], posterior probability: 82.2%) were the most robust predictors of 1-year mortality after incident and repeated HFHs, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with ACHD aged ≥40 years, incident HFH was associated with high mortality risk at 1 year, declining but remaining elevated for 4 years. Kidney dysfunction was a potent predictor of 1-year mortality risk after incident HFHs. Repeated HFHs further increased mortality risk. These observations should inform early risk-tailored health services interventions for monitoring and prevention of HF and its associated complications in older patients with ACHD.

Transplant and mechanical circulatory support in patients with adult congenital heart disease

Advances in surgery and pediatric care over the past decades have achieved improved survival for children born with congenital heart disease (CHD) and have produced a large, growing population of patients with adult congenital heart disease (ACHD). Heart failure has emerged as the leading cause of death and a major cause of morbidity among the ACHD population, while as little evidence supports the efficacy of guideline-directed medical therapies in this population. It is increasingly important that clinicians caring for these patients understand how to utilize mechanical circulatory support (MCS) in ACHD. In this review, we summarize the data on transplantation and MCS in the ACHD-heart failure population and provide a framework for how ACHD patients may benefit from advanced heart failure therapies like transplantation and MCS.

Utility of biomarkers in adult Fontan patients with decompensated heart failure

BACKGROUND

The incidence of heart failure is increasing within the Fontan population. The use of serological markers, including B-type natriuretic peptide, has been limited in this patient population.

METHODS

This was a single-centre retrospective study of Fontan patients in acute decompensated heart failure. Fontan patients underwent a 1:2 match with non-Fontan patients for each heart failure hospitalisation for comparative analysis. A univariate logistic regression model was used to assess associations between laboratory and echocardiographic markers and a prolonged length of stay of 7 days or greater.

RESULTS

B-type natriuretic peptide levels were significantly lower in Fontan patients admitted for heart failure than that in non-Fontan patients [390.9 (±378.7) pg/ml versus 1245.6 (±1160.7) pg/ml, respectively, p < 0.0001] and were higher in Fontan patients with systemic ventricular systolic or diastolic dysfunction than that in Fontan patients with normal systemic ventricular function [833.6 (±1547.2) pg/ml versus 138.6 (±134.0) pg/ml, p = 0.017]. The change from the last known outpatient value was smaller in Fontan patients in comparison with non-Fontan patients [65.7 (±185.7) pg/ml versus 1638.0 (±1444.7) pg/ml, respectively, p < 0.0001]. Low haemoglobin and high blood urea nitrogen levels were associated with a prolonged length of stay.

CONCLUSION

B-type natriuretic peptide levels do not accurately reflect decompensated heart failure in Fontan patients when compared to non-Fontan heart failure patients and should, therefore, be used with caution in this patient population.

Nationwide Frequency, Sequential Trends, and Impact of Co-morbid Mental Health Disorders on Hospitalizations, Outcomes, and Healthcare Resource Utilization in Adult Congenital Heart Disease

Despite the growing prevalence of adult congenital heart disease (ACHD), data on trends in prevalence of mental health disorders (MHD) among patients with ACHD remain limited. The National Inpatient Sample (2007 to 2014) was queried to identify the frequency and trends of MHD among ACHD hospitalizations (stratification by age, sex, and race); demographics and co-morbidities for ACHD cohorts, with (MHD+) versus without MHD (MHD-); the rate and trends of all-cause in-hospital mortality, disposition, mean length of stay, and hospitalization charges among both cohorts. A total of 11,709 (13.8%, mean age: 49.1 years, 56.0% females, 78.7% white) out of 85,029 ACHD patient encounters had a coexistent MHD (anxiety, depression, mood disorder, or psychosis). ACHD-MHD+ cohort was more often admitted nonelectively (38.1% vs 32.8%, p <0.001) and had a higher frequency of cardiac/extra-cardiac co-morbidities. The trends in prevalence of coexistent MHD increased from 10.3% to 17.5% (70% relative increase) from 2007 to 2014 with a consistently higher prevalence among females (from 13% to 20.3%) compared to males (from 7.6% to 15.5%) (p_trend <0.001). The hospitalization trends with MHD increased in whites (12.1% to 19.8%) and Hispanics (5.9% to 12.7%). All-cause mortality was lower (0.7% vs 1.1%, p = 0.002) in ACHD-MHD+; however, mean length of stay (∼5.7 vs 4.9 days, p <0.001) was higher without significant difference in charges ($97,710 vs $96,058, p = 0.137). ACHD-MHD+ cohort was less often discharged routinely (declining trend) and more frequently transferred to other facilities and required home healthcare (rising trends). In conclusion, this study reveals increasing trends of MHD, healthcare resource utilization and a higher frequency of co-morbidities in patients with ACHD.

The total artificial heart in patients with congenital heart disease

Background

While ventricular assist devices (VADs) remain the cornerstone of mechanical circulatory support (MCS), the total artificial heart (TAH-t) has gained popularity for certain patients in whom VAD support is not ideal. Congenital heart disease (CHD) patients often have barriers to VAD placement due to anatomic and physiological variation and thus can benefit from the TAH-t. The purpose of this study is to analyze the differences in TAH application and outcomes in patients with and without CHD.

Methods

The SynCardia Department of Clinical Research provided data upon request for all TAH-t implantations worldwide from December 1985 to October 2019. These patients were divided into two groups by pre-implantation diagnosis of CHD and non-CHD.

Results

A total of 1,876 patients were identified. Eighty (4%) of these patients also carried a diagnosis of CHD. There was a higher proportion of children in the CHD cohort (16.3% vs. 2.1%, P<0.001) and this translated into a lower average age amongst the two groups (34±13 vs. 49±13 years, P<0.001). There were also significantly more females in the CHD group (22.8% vs. 12.8%, P=0.010). CHD patients were more likely to be supported with a 50 cc TAH-t (11.3% vs. 4.5%, P=0.005) while all other support characteristics, including duration of support, were similar between the groups. All measured outcomes were similar between CHD and non-CHD patients including positive outcome (alive on device or transplanted), 1-month conditional survival, and rate of Freedom Driver use.

Conclusions

TAH-t is an effective means to support patients with CHD. Patients with CHD had similar survival, support characteristics, and frequency of discharge compared to patients without CHD. As MCS continues to grow, its indications broadened, and its contraindications narrowed, more patient populations will see the benefit of the TAH's continuously developing technology.

Age- and Lesion-Related Comorbidity Burden Among US Adults With Congenital Heart Disease: A Population-Based Study

Background As patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) are living longer, understanding the comorbidities they develop as they age is increasingly important. However, there are no published population-based estimates of the comorbidity burden among the US adult patients with CHD. Methods and Results Using the IBM MarketScan commercial claims database from 2010 to 2016, we identified adults aged ≥18 years with CHD and 2 full years of continuous enrollment. These were frequency matched with adults without CHD within categories jointly defined by age, sex, and dates of enrollment in the database. A total of 40 127 patients with CHD met the inclusion criteria (mean [SD] age, 36.8 [14.6] years; and 48.2% were women). Adults with CHD were nearly twice as likely to have any comorbidity than those without CHD (P<0.001). After adjusting for covariates, patients with CHD had a higher prevalence risk ratio for "previously recognized to be common in CHD" (risk ratio, 9.41; 95% CI, 7.99-11.1), "other cardiovascular" (risk ratio, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.66-1.80), and "noncardiovascular" (risk ratio, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.41-1.52) comorbidities. After adjusting for covariates and considering interaction with age, patients with severe CHD had higher risks of previously recognized to be common in CHD and lower risks of other cardiovascular comorbidities than age-stratified patients with nonsevere CHD. For noncardiovascular comorbidities, the risk was higher among patients with severe than nonsevere CHD before, but not after, the age of 40 years. Conclusions Our data underscore the unique clinical needs of adults with CHD compared with their peers. Clinicians caring for CHD may want to use a multidisciplinary approach, including building close collaborations with internists and specialists, to help provide appropriate care for the highly prevalent noncardiovascular comorbidities.

Clinical Outcomes During Admissions for Heart Failure Among Adults With Congenital Heart Disease

Background

Heart failure (HF) admissions in adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) are becoming more common. We compared in‐hospital and readmission events among adults with and without CHD admitted for HF.

Methods and Results

We identified all admissions with the primary diagnosis of HF among adults in the California State Inpatient Database between January 1, 2005 and January 1, 2012. International Classification of Disease (ICD) codes identified the type of CHD lesion, comorbidities, and in‐hospital and 30‐day readmissions events. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR, 95% CI) was calculated after adjusting for admission year, age, sex, race, household income, primary payor, and Charlson comorbidity index. Of 203 759 patients admitted for HF, 539 had CHD other than atrial septal defect. Compared with patients admitted for HF without CHD, those with CHD were younger, more often male, and had fewer comorbidities as determined by Charlson comorbidity index. On multivariate analysis, CHD patients admitted for HF had higher odds of length of stay ≥7 days (AOR 2.5 [95% CI 2.0–3.1]), incident arrhythmias (AOR 2.8 [95% CI 1.7–4.5]), and in‐hospital mortality (AOR 1.9 [95% CI 1.1–3.1]). Also, CHD patients had lower odds of readmission for HF (AOR 0.6 [95% CI 0.3–0.9]), but similar odds of other 30‐day readmission events. Complex CHD patients had higher odds of length of stay ≥7 days (AOR 1.9 [95% CI 1.1–3.3]) than patients with noncomplex CHD lesions, but similar odds of all other clinical outcomes.

Conclusions

Among patients admitted with the primary diagnosis of HF in California, adults with CHD have substantially higher odds of longer length of stay, incident arrhythmias, and in‐hospital mortality compared with non‐CHD patients. These results suggest a need for HF risk stratification strategies and management protocols specific for patients with CHD.

A model for geographic and sociodemographic access to care disparities for adults with congenital heart disease

BACKGROUND

Follow-up at a regional adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) center is recommended for all ACHD patients at least once per the 2018 ACC/AHA guidelines. Other specialties have demonstrated poorer follow-up and outcomes correlating with increased distance from health care providers, but driving time to regional ACHD centers has not been examined in the US population.

OBJECTIVE

To identify and characterize potential disparities in access to ACHD care in the US based on drive time to ACHD centers and compounding sociodemographic factors.

METHODS

Mid- to high-volume ACHD centers with ≥500 outpatient ACHD visits and ≥20 ACHD surgeries annually were included based on self-reported, public data. Geographic Information System mapping was used to delineate drive times to ACHD centers. Sociodemographic data from the 2012-2016 American Community Survey (US Census) and the Environmental Systems Research Institute were analyzed based on drive time to nearest ACHD center. Previously established CHD prevalence estimates were used to estimate the similarly located US ACHD population.

RESULTS

Nearly half of the continental US population (45.1%) lives >1 hour drive to an ACHD center. Overall, 39.7% live 1-4 hours away, 3.4% live 4-6 hours away, and 2.0% live >6 hours away. Hispanics were disproportionately likely to live a >6 hour drive to a center (p < .001). Compared to people with <1 hour drive, those living >6 hours away have higher proportions of uninsured adults (29% vs. 18%; p < .001), households below the federal poverty level (19% vs. 13%; p < .001), and adults with less than college education (18% vs. 12%; p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

We estimate that ~45% of the continental US population lives >1 hour to an ACHD center, with 5.4% living >4 hours away. Compounding barriers exist for Hispanic, uninsured, lower socioeconomic status, and less-educated patients. These results may help drive future policy changes to improve access to ACHD care.

Heart failure risk predictions in adult patients with congenital heart disease: a systematic review

To summarise existing heart failure (HF) risk prediction models and describe the risk factors for HF-related adverse outcomes in adult patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). We performed a systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane databases from January 1996 to December 2018. Studies were eligible if they developed multivariable models for risk prediction of decompensated HF in adult patients with CHD (ACHD), death in patients with ACHD-HF or both, or if they reported corresponding predictors. A standardised form was used to extract information from selected studies. Twenty-five studies met the inclusion criteria and all studies were at moderate to high risk of bias. One study derived a model to predict the risk of a composite outcome (HF, death or arrhythmia) with a c-statistic of 0.85. Two studies applied an existing general HF model to patients with ACHD but did not report model performance. Twenty studies presented predictors of decompensated HF, and four examined patient characteristics associated with mortality (two reported predictors of both). A wide variation in population characteristics, outcome of interest and candidate risk factors was observed between studies. Although there were substantial inconsistencies regarding which patient characteristics were predictive of HF-related adverse outcomes, brain natriuretic peptide, New York Heart Association class and CHD lesion characteristics were shown to be important predictors. To date, evidence in the published literature is insufficient to accurately profile patients with ACHD. High-quality studies are required to develop a unique ACHD-HF prediction model and confirm the predictive roles of potential risk factors.

Resource Utilization Among Adult Congenital Heart Failure Admissions in Pediatric Hospitals

We sought to analyze the trends and resource utilization of adult congenital heart disease (ACHD)-related heart failure admissions at children's hospitals. Heart failure admissions in patients with ACHD continue to rise at both pediatric and adult care facilities. Data from the Pediatric Health Information Systems database (2005 to 2015) were used to identify patients (≥18 years) admitted with congenital heart disease (745.xx-747.xx) and principal diagnosis of heart failure (428.xx). High resource use (HRU) admissions were defined as those over the 90th percentile. There were 562 admissions (55.9% male) across 39 pediatric hospitals. ACHD-related heart failure admissions increased from 4.1% in 2006 to 6.3% in 2015 (p = 0.015). Median hospital charge for ACHD-related heart failure admissions was $59,055 [IQR $26,633 to $156,846]. Total charges increased with more complex anatomic category (p = 0.049). Though HRU admissions represented 10% of ACHD-related heart failure admissions, they accounted for >66% of the total charges. The median total hospital charges for HRU admissions were $1,018,656 [IQR $722,574 to $1,784,743], compared with $58,890 [IQR $26,456 to $145,890] for non-HRU admissions (p < 0.001). Inpatient mortality rate (26.3% vs 4.0%) and the presence of ≥2 comorbidities (68% vs 31%) were higher for HRU admissions (p < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, technology dependence (aOR: 4.4, p < 0.001) and renal comorbidities (aOR: 3.0, p = 0.04) were associated with HRU. In conclusion, heart failure-related ACHD admissions in pediatric hospitals are increasing. Compared with non-HRU, HRU admissions had higher inhospital mortality and greater comorbidities. Additional care strategies to reduce resource use among these patients and improve overall quality of care merits further study.

Opportunities for training to advance the care for adults with congenital heart disease with advanced circulatory failure

Heart failure is an emerging issue with important implications in adult patients with congenital heart disease. Practitioners with expertise in both adult congenital heart disease and heart failure are needed to manage this growing and often complex population. In the United States, the optimal training pathway to enable practitioners to best care for these patients is ill-defined. This article explores possibilities and issues that interested trainees may encounter during their training experience.