To investigate the variations of serum ghrelin levels in children with left-to-right shunt CHD, and analyse the correlation with the geometric structure of the heart. It may provide some clinical guidance for evaluating the early changes of cardiac structure and function in CHD children.

A total of 93 children with left-to-right shunt CHD who were hospitalised to Children’s Hospital of Soochow University from September 2021 to February 2023 were included in the CHD group (of which 58 were ventricular septal defect and 35 were patent ductus arteriosus). In addition, 57 cases (mainly inguinal hernia) were selected as the control group. The corresponding clinical data were recorded, and the fasting serum ghrelin levels of the two groups were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay on the day of admission. Then, the clinical data and serum ghrelin levels of the two groups were compared, and the Spearman correlation was analysed.

The serum ghrelin level in CHD group was higher than that in control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Z score of weight for age and Z score of height for age in CHD group were lower than those in control group were statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). But there was no correlation between serum ghrelin and BMI, weight-for-age Z-score, and height-for-age Z-score (P > 0.05). Ghrelin in the enlarged heart group was lower than that in the non-enlarged heart group, and there were statistical significance of among those groups (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular fractional shortening among different cardiac load groups (P > 0.05). The left ventricular end-systolic diameter Z-scores, left ventricular mass Z-scores, left ventricular mass index, and left ventricular end-diastolic volume-scores in the cardiomegaly groupwere higher than those in the non-cardiomegaly group, and those two groups were significantly different (P < 0.05). The relative wall thickness and left ventricular remodelling index in the cardiomegaly group were lower than those in the non-cardiomegaly group, and the differences between the groups were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Serum ghrelin was negatively correlated with left ventricular end-diastolic diameter Z-scores, left ventricular end-systolic diameter Z-scores, and left ventricular end-diastolic volume Z-scores in cardiac indexes (P < 0.05), positively correlated with left ventricular remodelling index (P < 0.05), and had no correlation with relative wall thickness, left ventricular mass Z-scores, and left ventricular mass index (P > 0.05).

The levels of serum ghrelin are increased in CHD children, and serum ghrelin is negatively correlated with left ventricular end-diastolic diameter and left ventricular end-diastolic volume in cardiac geometric structure, and positively correlated with left ventricular remodelling index. Additionally, patients with cardiac enlargement present with a low serum ghrelin level. These findings collectively suggest that serum ghrelin may play a potential role in cardiac remodelling.

This study aimed to evaluate patients with beta thalassaemia major using the cardiac electrophysiological index of balance, a new electrocardiography parameter, and to predict ventricular arrhythmias.

In this study, 60 beta thalassaemia major and 60 healthy children were included. All patients were evaluated with echocardiography. P-wave dispersion, repolarisation times, repolarisation dispersion times, and cardiac electrophysiological balance index were measured using 12-lead electrocardiography. Heart rate variability parameters were evaluated with a 24-hour Holter electrocardiography.

Left ventricular functions were similar between the groups. Although repolarisation times (QT, JT, and JTp) were significantly lower in the beta thalassaemia major group, heart rate-corrected repolarisation times were similar. Except for Tpe/QT, which is one of the repolarisation dispersion parameters, the other parameters were similar. The heart rate-corrected cardiac electrophysiological index of balance ratio was significantly higher in the beta thalassaemia major group. QRS duration and QRS-dispersion duration (QRS-d) were similar between the groups. There was a correlation between blood ferritin levels and LVmass-i, Tpe/QT, Tpe/QTc, QTc/QRS ratio, and QT, JT, and JTp values.

Patients with beta thalassaemia major are at high risk for ventricular arrhythmia due to a high QTc/QRS ratio, despite normal left ventricular systolic, diastolic, and autonomic function in the early period. We believe that there is a moderate correlation between blood ferritin levels and the QTc/QRS ratio and that the QTc/QRS ratio can provide important information for the follow-up and evaluation of patients with beta thalassaemia major.

Despite normal early ventricular function in the beta thalassaemia major group, they were at high risk of ventricular arrhythmias.

Exercise capacity (VO2peak) predicts mortality in adult patients with CHD. There is a lack of paediatric exercise capacity data based on specific CHD lesions, limiting the ability to contextualise interpretation based on expected performance during testing. The primary aim of this study was to establish VO2peak percentiles for paediatric patients with repaired CHD undergoing treadmill-based cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET).

Retrospective analysis of CPET data from 2004 to 2022. CPETs were analysed for patients with CHD aged 6–18 years. Patients with repaired CHD were categorised based on their most haemodynamically significant CHD lesion. Percentiles and age-based trends were plotted for each group.

A total of 887 patients were included. CHD patients were divided into ten diagnostic subgroups. The mean percent expected VO2peak for each of the subgroups were as follows: Atrial and ventricular septal defect (94.5 ± 25.1%), pulmonary valve repair (88.1 ± 18.4%), aortic valve repair (92.7 ± 16.4%), tricuspid and mitral valve repair (81.3 ± 20.4%), coarctation of the aorta (93.6 ± 18.8%), transposition of the great arteries (90.5 ± 19.4%), double outlet right ventricle and truncus arteriosus (80.5 ± 16.2%), tetralogy of Fallot (85.6 ± 20.9%), left ventricle dominant Fontan (74.7 ± 18.3%), and right ventricle dominant Fontan (75.7 ± 16.7%).

There is a varying degree of reduced exercise capacity in paediatric patients with repaired CHD. Univentricular hearts and tricuspid and mitral valve repair have the lowest VO2peak. These CHD-specific percentiles may help providers risk-stratify and counsel patients with CHD.

Renal replacement therapy is sometimes utilised after paediatric heart transplant, although current data on this are extremely limited. We sought to identify incidence of renal replacement therapy and patient characteristics, comorbidities, and outcomes when renal replacement therapy was needed around paediatric heart transplant.

The Pediatric Health Information System database was queried for paediatric intensive care patients who underwent a heart transplant from 2018 to 2021. Demographic and clinical data were analysed. Only patients admitted for heart transplant with heart transplant occurring on day 0 of admission were included to ensure that renal replacement therapy was postoperative.

A total of 235 patients who underwent heart transplant were included. Of these, 22 (9.3%) required renal replacement therapy. Mortality during admission was 3.8% in those without renal replacement therapy and 40.9% of patients requiring renal replacement therapy. Renal replacement therapy was associated with cardiomyopathy, infection, rejection, acute kidney injury, acute hepatic failure, and fluid overload.

Renal replacement therapy was utilised in 9.3% of paediatric heart transplant admissions and is associated with increased mortality. Postoperative need for renal replacement therapy is associated with increased mortality and adverse transplant outcomes.

To evaluate car seat tolerance screening failure rate in infants with CHD, clinical factors associated with test failure, and the impact of a failed test.

Single-centre retrospective study of 193 infants with CHD discharged from a general cardiology service between November 2020 and November 2024. Characteristics were compared between patients who passed and failed car seat testing using Wilcoxon-Mann–Whitney tests for continuous variables, and chi-square or Fisher’s exact tests for categorical variables.

Car seat test failure rate was 6.2% (12 of 193 patients). Neither median birthweight (3.2 kg vs. 3.3 kg, p = 0.68) nor the rate of prematurity (13.8% vs. 16.7%, p = 0.68) differed significantly between passing and failing groups. There was no relationship between cardiac physiology and car seat test failure (p = 0.39). There were no differences in rates of seizure (p = 0.29), stroke (p = 1.00), gastroesophageal reflux disease (p = 0.84), vocal cord dysfunction (p = 1.00), or pulmonary hypertension (p = 1.00) between passing and failing groups. Infants who failed had significantly higher rates of DiGeorge Syndrome (25.0%) compared to those who passed (2.2%) (p = 0.006). Readmission within 30 days of discharge was not different between failing (16.7%) and passing (17.1%) groups (p = 1.00). A failed test delayed discharge by a median of 1.5 days [IQR: 1.0–2.5 days].

The car seat test failure rate of our CHD cohort is higher than the published failure rate for premature infants. There was no relationship between cardiac physiology and test failure. DiGeorge Syndrome was the only comorbidity associated with increased failure rate. Failed car seat tests delay hospital discharge.

Utilisation of nicardipine in the neonatal and infant period has been historically avoided due to a concern for a more calcium-sensitive myocardium. The aim of this study was to characterise the association between nicardipine and systolic blood pressure in neonates and infants after cardiac surgery.

In this single-centre, retrospective study, patients under 12 months of age who underwent cardiac surgery and received nicardipine for at least one hour were included (September 2022 to January 2024). Patients were monitored with Etiometry. Variables of interest included haemodynamic parameters, ionised calcium, serum lactate, vasoactive infusion score, and nicardipine dose. A time series regression was conducted with each patient having 5 distinct time points.

One hundred and eighty-five time points were collected across 37 patients with a mean age of 3 months. Of these patients, 22% were neonates and 32% were functionally univentricular. With nicardipine utilisation, a decrease in systolic blood pressure of 14 mmHg after an 8-hour time period was noted (p = 0.017). Heart rate, diastolic blood pressure, cerebral and renal oxygen extraction, ionised calcium, serum lactate, and vasoactive inotrope score did not significantly change over the study period.

Nicardipine utilisation in neonates and infants after cardiac surgery was associated with decreased systolic blood pressure. Indirect markers demonstrate no change in cardiac function. Additional studies are needed to better elucidate nicardipine’s role in this patient population.

To examine the accuracy of pulse oximetry in neonates by race and ethnicity.

We performed a single-centre retrospective cross-sectional study in neonates aged ≤ 7 days at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta in the neonatal and cardiac ICU between 2010 and 2022. Eligible patients had pulse oximetry with arterial oxygen saturation measurements taken within 10 minutes. We evaluated the mean saturation bias, accuracy root mean square, and the frequency of occult hypoxaemia by race and ethnicity.

Of 1645 infants, there were 639 non-Hispanic Black infants (38.8%), 651 non-Hispanic White infants (39.6%), and 215 Hispanic infants (13.1%). The majority had no CHD (71.4%), required respiratory support (81.1%), and had oxygen saturation levels = > 90% (87.6%). The mean pulse oximetry and arterial oxygen measurement time difference was 0.8 minutes. The mean bias and accuracy root mean square were 8.7% and 13.7%, respectively, with no significant difference between the groups (p = 0.91). Occult hypoxaemia was found in 20.5% of infants. Compared to White infants, there were no differences in likelihood of occult hypoxaemia for either Black (adjusted prevalence ratio 1.13 (0.92–1.4), p = 0.24) or Hispanic (1.06 (0.77–1.45, p = 0.72) infants.

There was not a systemic discrepancy in pulse oximetry between racial and ethnic groups as previously described in older children and adults. However, pulse oximetry significantly overestimated arterial oxygen saturation. Future prospective studies that objectively measure skin pigmentation may be able to overcome some of the limitations of our study.

To assess the feasibility of transcatheter closure in patients with dextrocardia and isolated atrial septal defect or ventricular septal defect.

A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 10 patients with dextrocardia and atrial septal defect or ventricular septal defect from June 2013 to January 2023 and successfully underwent transcatheter closure. Patient data were meticulously collected.

The study cohort comprised 10 patients, with three males, aged between 3 and 38 years. Intraoperative right heart catheterisation revealed the following measurements: the mean pulmonary arterial pressure of 20.5(18,24,3) mmHg, and a pulmonary-to-systemic flow ratio of 1.80(1.58,2.15). There were five atrial septal defects, with defect diameters of 26(20,30) mm, comprising three dextroversion and two mirror-image dextrocardia. Intraoperative echocardiography confirmed the absence of any residual shunt. Among them, a patient with mirror-image dextrocardia, atrial septal defects, and interrupted inferior vena cava required an alternative approach due to femoral vein limitations. The right internal jugular vein was punctured, and a 22 mm atrial septal occluder was successfully deployed via this route. The study identified five ventricular septal defects, with defect diameters of 4(3.5,5.5) mm, including two dextroversion and three mirror-image dextrocardia. Upon post-operative repeat left ventriculography, no residual shunt was detected in all but one case, which exhibited a minimal residual shunt. Throughout the perioperative period and subsequent post-operative follow-up, no severe complications were observed.

For patients with dextrocardia accompanied by simple CHD, transcatheter closure is a viable option when interventional treatment is indicated. Although transcatheter closure of atrial septal defects or ventricular septal defect in patients with dextrocardia presents unique challenges, it is safe and effective when the anatomical nuances of dextrocardia are thoroughly understood.