Correlation between cardio-vocal syndrome and pulmonary arterial hypertension in infants with congenital heart disease

Abstract

Objective To discuss the relationship between cardio-vocal syndrome and pulmonary arterial hypertension in infants with congenital heart disease(CHD). Methods Based on the electronic bronchoscopy results, 257 less than one-year-old infants with congenital heart disease were selected and divided into vocal cord paralysis positive group(31 cases) and negative group(226 cases). Factors including age, sex, body weight, pulmonary arterial hypertension degree and PA/AO value were compared between the two groups. The risk factors of left vocal cord paralysis were analyzed using logistic regression method. Results There were no significant differences in age and weight between left vocal cord paralysis positive group and negative group(P>0.05). While incidence of pulmonary arterial hypertension and PA/AO value of the positive group were significantly higher than those of the negative group(P<0.01). The incidence of left vocal cord paralysis in no, mild-moderate and severe pulmonary arterial hypertension groups were 1.39%, 10.6% and 22.0%(P<0.05) respectively. Left vocal cord paralysis was positively correlated with the degree of pulmonary arterial hypertension(r=0.179, P<0.01) and PA/AO value(r=0.169, P<0.01). Pulmonary arterial hypertension was an independent risk factor of left vocal cord paralysis(P=0.005, OR=1.689). Conclusion Left vocal cord paralysis was significantly correlated with pulmonary arterial hypertension and pulmonary artery dilatation. So pulmonary arterial hypertension should be one of the possible causes of cardio-vocal syndrome in infants with CHD. Key words: Congenital heart disease Vocal cord paralysis Pulmonary hypertension