Outcomes In Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Research Articles

Association of Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio and Red Blood Cell Distribution Width with Poor Outcome in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery - A Retrospective Observational Study.

Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a valuable indicator for evaluating inflammatory response and red blood cell distribution width (RBDW), a routinely available biomarker of likely erythropoietic dysfunction, which may be associated with adverse outcomes after cardiac surgery. This study aimed to investigate the association between these two readily available haematological parameters, with the poor outcomes in paediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery. A comprehensive review of medical records for paediatric patients who underwent cardiac surgery at our tertiary care centre between April 2022 and June 2023 was carried out. RBDW and NLR values were collected from complete blood count reports obtained on admission to the ICU. Demographic data, surgical details, and postoperative complications were also recorded. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and multivariable logistic regression were applied to identify the prognosis performance of preoperative NLR and RBDW for poor outcomes. The study included 219 patients meeting the inclusion criteria of which a total of 90 (41%) children experienced at least one of the poor outcomes. Preoperative NLR (AUC=0.88, 95%CI 0.36-0.70, cut off- 4.2) and RBDW (AUC=0.88, 95%CI 0.39-0.73, cut off- 18.5%) showed prognostic significance in the perioperative period. This retrospective observational study highlights a significant association between elevated Red Blood Cell Distribution Width (RBDW) and Neutrophil Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) values and poor outcomes in paediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery. These readily available haematological parameters could serve as potential prognostic indicators for identifying patients at risk of poor outcomes.

Vasoactive-ventilation-renal (VVR) score: A potential tool for predicting early postoperative outcomes in adult mitral valve surgery.

Vasoactive-ventilation-renal (VVR) score has been validated in predicting postoperative outcomes in pediatric cardiac surgery. The aim was to evaluate its potential in predicting early postoperative outcomes in adult patients undergoing mitral valve surgery. A single-center prospective observational study involved 100 patients undergoing mitral valve surgery. We evaluated preoperative variables (Ambler score), VVR, and vasoactive-inotropic score (VIS) on admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) and then at 12, 24, and 48 hrs postoperatively. Outcomes assessed were length of stay in ICU (LOS-ICU), length of hospital stay (LOHS), and mortality. The data were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression model, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and areas under curve (AUC). Our study showed the potential utility of the VVR score as a powerful tool for predicting early outcomes after mitral valve surgery, with VVR at 48 hrs having superior predictive capability.

Low-Dose vasopressin and renal perfusion in pediatric cardiac surgery.

Congenital heart surgeries are associated with post-bypass renal and cardiac dysfunctions. The use of low-dose vasopressin has been found to be beneficial in adult cardiac surgeries. To assess the hemodynamic and renal effects of patients undergoing on-pump pediatric cardiac surgery under general anesthesia (GA) with low-dose vasopressin infusion. Prospective randomized controlled study. Operation room and ICU, tertiary care teaching hospital. Fifty-five pediatric cardiac patients undergoing repair for congenital heart diseases (CHD). Low-dose vasopressin infusion in the study group and placebo in the control group. Renal near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), serum NGAL, and inflammatory mediators-IL6 and IL8 along with other renal and hemodynamic parameters in the perioperative period were recorded. Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and cardiac index were significantly higher in the vasopressin group. Inflammatory markers were significantly high in the immediate postoperative period in all patients which later stabilized in the next 48 h but showed similar trends in both groups. Low-dose vasopressin infusion did not improve either renal perfusion or function. The duration of mechanical ventilation and length of hospital stay, the incidence of AKI development, and transfusion requirements were marginally lower in the vasopressin group, although not significant. Low-dose vasopressin infusion improved hemodynamics and showed a decreased incidence of complications. However, it failed to show any benefit of renal function and overall outcome in pediatric cardiac surgery.

Analysis of perioperative corticosteroid therapy in children undergoing cardiac surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The advantages and disadvantages of using corticosteroids in children undergoing cardiac surgery is still contentious. To examine how perioperative corticosteroids affect postoperative mortality and clinical outcomes in pediatric cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). We used MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Database to conduct a comprehensive search up through January 2023. Children aged 0-18 undergoing cardiac surgery were included in the meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies comparing perioperative corticosteroids with other therapeutic therapies, placebo, or no treatment. All-cause hospital mortality was the primary endpoint of the study. Hospitalization duration was a secondary result. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool was used to evaluate the research quality. Ten trials and 7798 pediatric participants were included in our analysis. Children taking corticosteroids had no significant difference in all-cause in-hospital mortality using a random-effect model with relative risk (RR) = 0.38, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.16-0.91, I2 = 79%, p = .03 for methylprednisolone and RR = 0.29, 95% CI = 0.09-0.97, I2 = 80%, p = .04. For the secondary outcome, there was a significant difference between the corticosteroid and placebo groups, with pooled standard mean difference (SMD) = -0.86, 95% CI = -1.57 to -0.15, I2 = 85%, p = .02 for methylprednisolone and SMD = -0.97, 95% CI -1.90 to -0.04, I2 = 83%, p = .04 for dexamethasone. Perioperative corticosteroids may not improve mortality, but they reduce hospital stay compared to placebo. Further evidence from randomized controlled studies with larger samples is required for approaching at a valid conclusion.

Preoperative Iron Deficiency Is Associated With Increased Blood Transfusion in Infants Undergoing Cardiac Surgery

BackgroundIron deficiency (ID) is common in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, which is associated with adverse outcomes. However, the relevance of ID in congenital heart disease is still unclear. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of preoperative ID and its association with clinical outcomes in infants undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass.MethodsIn this retrospective study, 314 patients undergoing cardiac surgery were assigned into three groups according to their preoperative ID status. Absolute ID was defined by serum ferritin <12 μg/L, and functional ID was defined by serum ferritin level at 12–30 μg/L and transferrin saturation <20%. Baseline characteristics were compared between groups and multiple logistic regression was used to identify predictors for ID. The association between ID and clinical outcomes, including allogenic blood transfusion requirements, was also evaluated.ResultsAmong the 314 patients included, 32.5% were absolute ID and 28.7% were functional ID. Patients with absolute ID were more often of higher weight, cyanotic heart disease, and anemia. The presence of absolute ID was associated with an increase in postoperative blood transfusion (OR 1.837, 95% CI 1.016–3.321, p = 0.044). There was no significant difference in postoperative morbidity, mortality, and the length of hospital stay.ConclusionsAbsolute ID was associated with preoperative anemia and cyanotic heart disease, and was an independent risk factor for postoperative blood transfusion. Further research should better explore the definition of ID and its impact on outcomes in pediatric cardiac surgery.

Serum lactate clearance as a predictor of outcome in infants' postcardiac surgery

Background and Aims: Prediction of postoperative outcomes by conventional hemodynamic parameters and risk scoring systems immediately after pediatric cardiac surgery has not been found to be reliable. Trends in serum lactate value over time or serum lactate clearance were found to give better estimate. The present study aimed to find out the effect of serum lactate clearance on mortality after pediatric cardiac surgery. Methods: Out of the 150 pediatric cardiac surgical procedures performed during the study period, 131 patients meeting inclusion criteria were enrolled in the present study. The study population was observed for lactate levels immediately postoperatively (T0) and then every 4 h for the first 24 h (T1-T6) and lactate clearance was calculated. Patient's outcomes in view of mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation, and length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay were observed. Results: In our study, mortality was 9.23%. Median inter quartile range with Hodges-Lehmann median difference (95% confidence interval) lactate values were higher among nonsurvivors and statistically significant at T0 = (6.14 [3.43,7.34] vs. 2.50 [1.87,3.59]; 2.53 [1.02, 4.33], P ≤ 0.0001), T1 = (3.10 [2.81, 5.16] vs. 2.30 [1.73, 3.61];0.95 [0.13, 1.73], P = 0.032), T2 = (3.49 [3.03, 5.40] vs. 2.39 [1.66, 3.38];1.32 [0.48, 2.27], P = 0.004), T3 = (3.82 [2.99, 5.54] vs. 2.20 [1.58, 3.45]; 1.46 [0.50, 2.45], P = 0.003), T4 = (4.86 [3.35, 5.44] vs. 2.09 [1.42, 3.47]; 2.02 [1.09, 3.13], P ≤ 0.0001), T5 = (4.36 [3.80, 6.27] vs. 2 [1.32, 3.26]; 2.29 [1.41, 3.25], P ≤ 0.0001), and T6 = (4.12 [3.69, 5.83] vs. 1.82 [1.31, 3.15]; 2.34 [1.15, 3.21], P ≤ 0.0001). Nonsurvivors were having decreasing trend of lactate clearance which was statistically nonsignificant. Mechanical ventilation was prolonged in nonsurvivors compared to survivor (135 [202] h vs. 30 [77] h; P = 0.002); however, there was no significant difference in ICU stay (P = 0.764). Conclusion: Poor lactate clearance and high lactate level were associated with high mortality. Serial lactate levels and decreasing trend of lactate clearance in the early postoperative period is a good predictor of postoperative outcome in pediatric cardiac surgery.

Relationship of Preoperative Thyroid Dysfunction to Clinical Outcomes in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery.

Thyroid function may be assessed in children before cardiac surgery because of concerns that hypothyroidism or thyrotoxicosis might adversely affect cardiac function perioperatively. However, the relationship between preoperative thyroid dysfunction and surgical outcomes is unknown. Determine the relationship between preoperative thyroid dysfunction and outcomes of pediatric cardiac surgery. Retrospective cohort study (January 2005 to July 2019). Academic pediatric hospital. All patients <19 years old who underwent cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass and had thyrotropin (TSH) measured within 14 days preoperatively. Exclusion criteria included neonates (≤30 days), preoperative extracorporeal life support, salvage operations, or transplantation procedures. Subjects were stratified by preoperative TSH concentration (mIU/L): low (<0.5), normal (0.5-5), mildly high (5.01-10), or moderately high (>10). Outcomes were compared among subjects with normal TSH (control) and each group with abnormal TSH concentrations. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Secondary outcomes included time to extubation, intensive care unit and hospital length of stay, and operative complications. Among 592 patients analyzed, preoperative TSH was low in 15 (2.5%), normal in 347 (58.6%), mildly high in 177 (29.9%), and moderately high in 53 (9.0%). Free thyroxine was measured in 77.4% of patients and was low in 0 to 4.4% of subjects, with no differences among TSH groups. Thirty-day mortality was similar among TSH groups. There were no differences in any secondary outcome between patients with abnormal TSH and patients with normal TSH. Preoperative mild to moderate subclinical hypothyroidism was not associated with adverse postoperative outcomes in children undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass procedures.

Effects of modified ultrafiltration and conventional ultrafiltration combination on perioperative clinical outcomes in pediatric cardiac surgery

Background:This meta-analysis was performed to review the effects of the addition of modified ultrafiltration (MUF) and conventional ultrafiltration (CUF) to CUF alone on postoperative hemoglobin, surgical and ultrafiltration data, and postoperative clinical outcomes in pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery.Methods:A systematic search was performed to identify randomized controlled clinical trials that compared MUF and CUF combination with CUF alone in pediatric cardiac surgery undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science without any language or date limitation in February 2020. For each included trial, the primary outcomes including post-CPB and postoperative hematocrit, surgical and ultrafiltration data, postoperative clinical outcomes including volume of chest tube drainage within 48 hours after surgery and perioperative blood requirement, ventilation support duration, and length of stay day in the intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital were collected and analyzed. The analysis was conducted using STATA version 12.0.Results:A total of 8 trials encompassing 405 patients were included in this analysis. Analysis indicated that MUF + CUF increased the post-CPB hematocrit (Standard mean difference, SMD = 1.85, 95% confidence interval, 95% CI 0.91–2.79). Meanwhile, ultrafiltration volume was higher in CUF+MUF infants than CUF-alone infants (SMD = 1.46, 95% CI 0.51–2.41, P = .003). The clinical outcomes, including postoperative hemodynamic changes, prime volume, blood requirement, chest tube drainage volume, mechanical ventilation duration, and ICU duration, were unclear because of the unstable sensitivity analyses.Conclusions:Beneficial effects of using MUF and CUF for pediatric cardiac surgery, including increase post-CPB hematocrit and ultrafiltration volume when compared with CUF alone. Meanwhile, MUF and CUF did not significantly influence the postoperative hospital stay duration, CPB, and aortic occlusion duration.

The Impact of Dedicated Cardiac Intensive Care Units on Outcomes in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery: A Virtual Pediatric Systems Database Analysis.

Care of children undergoing cardiac surgery occurs in dedicated cardiac intensive care units (CICU) or mixed intensive care units. In this article, we analyzed data from Virtual Pediatric Systems (VPS, LLC) database (2009-2014) for children < 18 years of age undergoing cardiac surgery, classified according to Society of Thoracic Surgery-European Association of Cardiothoracic Surgery (STS-EACTS) risk category. We had 25,052 (52%) patients in 53 mixed units (mortality rate, 2.99%), and 22,762 (48%) patients in 19 dedicated CICUs (mortality rate, 2.62%). There was a direct relationship between STS-EACTS risk category and death rate in both units. By multivariable logistic and linear regression, there was no difference in mortality between mixed unit and CICU death rates within STS-EACTS risk categories. We found no difference in outcomes for children undergoing cardiac surgery based on the unit type (dedicated CICU or mixed unit).

Ultrafiltration in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Review.

The use of cardiopulmonary bypass in pediatric cardiac surgery is associated with significant inflammation, fluid overload, and end-organ dysfunction yielding morbidity and mortality. For decades, various intraoperative ultrafiltration techniques such as conventional ultrafiltration, modified ultrafiltration (MUF), zero-balance ultrafiltration (ZBUF), and combination techniques (ZBUF-MUF) have been used to mitigate these toxicities and promote improved postoperative outcomes. However, there is currently no consensus on the ultrafiltration technique or strategy that yields the most benefit for infants and children undergoing open heart surgery. A librarian-conducted PubMed literature search from 1990 to 2018 yielded 90 clinical studies or publications on the various forms of ultrafiltration and the impact on physiologic markers and clinical outcomes. All publications were reviewed, summarized, and conclusions synthesized. The data sets were not combined for systematic or meta-analysis due to significant heterogeneity in study protocols and patient populations. Modified ultrafiltration significantly promotes improved myocardial function, reduction in fluid overload, and reduced bleeding and transfusion complications. Furthermore, ZBUF has shown a consistent reduction in inflammatory cytokines and improved pulmonary function and compliance. There is conflicting evidence that MUF, ZBUF, and ZBUF-MUF culminate in reduced ventilation time and intensive care unit stay. Various modes of ultrafiltration have been shown to be associated with improved physiologic function or clinical outcomes in pediatric cardiac surgery. There are some inconsistent trial results that can be explained by heterogeneity in ultrafiltration, clinical staff preferences, and institution protocols. Ultrafiltration has some essential benefit as it is ubiquitously used at pediatric heart centers; however, the optimal protocol could be yet identified.

RACHS - ANZ : A Modified Risk Adjustment in Congenital Heart Surgery Model for Outcome Surveillance in Australia and New Zealand.

BackgroundOutcomes for pediatric cardiac surgery are commonly reported from international databases compiled from voluntary data submissions. Surgical outcomes for all children in a country or region are less commonly reported. We aimed to describe the bi‐national population‐based outcome for children undergoing cardiac surgery in Australia and New Zealand and determine whether the Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery (RACHS) classification could be used to create a model that accurately predicts in‐hospital mortality in this population.Methods and ResultsThe study was conducted in all children's hospitals performing cardiac surgery in Australia and New Zealand between January 2007 and December 2015. The performance of the original RACHS‐1 model was assessed and compared with an alternative RACHS‐ANZ (Australia and New Zealand) model, developed balancing discrimination with parsimonious variable selection. A total of 14 324 hospital admissions were analyzed. The overall hospital mortality was 2.3%, ranging from 0.5% for RACHS category 1 procedures, to 17.0% for RACHS category 5 or 6 procedures. The original RACHS‐1 model was poorly calibrated with death overpredicted (1161 deaths predicted, 289 deaths observed). The RACHS‐ANZ model had better performance in this population with excellent discrimination (Az‐ROC of 0.830) and acceptable Hosmer and Lemeshow goodness‐of‐fit (P=0.216).ConclusionsThe original RACHS‐1 model overpredicts mortality in children undergoing heart surgery in the current era. The RACHS‐ANZ model requires only 3 risk variables in addition to the RACHS procedure category, can be applied to a wider range of patients than RACHS‐1, and is suitable to use to monitor regional pediatric cardiac surgery outcomes.

Impact of pediatric cardiac surgery regionalization on health care utilization and mortality

Regionalization directs patients to high-volume hospitals for specialized care. We investigated regionalization trends and outcomes in pediatric cardiac surgery. Statewide inpatient data from eleven states between 2000 and 2012. Mortality, length of stay (LOS), and cost were assessed using multivariable hierarchical regression with state and year fixed effects. Primary predictor was hospital case-volume, categorized into low-, medium-, and high-volume tertiles. We used Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery-1 (RACHS-1) to select pediatric cardiac surgery discharges. In total, 2841 (8.5 percent), 8348 (25.1 percent), and 22099 (66.4 percent) patients underwent heart surgeries in low-, medium-, and high-volume hospitals. Mortality decreased over time, but remained higher in low- and medium-volume hospitals. High-volume hospitals had lower odds of mortality and cost than low-volume hospitals (odds ratio [OR] 0.59, P<0.01, and relative risk [RR] 0.91, P<0.01, respectively). LOS was longer for high- and medium-volume hospitals, compared to low-volume hospitals (high-volume: RR 1.18, P<0.01; medium-volume: RR 1.05, P<0.01). Regionalization reduced mortality and cost, indicating fewer complications, but paradoxically increased LOS. Further research is needed to explore the full impact on health care utilization.

Abstract 194: Real-time Outcomes Analysis Dashboard: ROAD Map

Background: Surveillance of risk-adjusted pediatric cardiac surgery outcomes has moved beyond mortality to complications. We report a novel dashboard that provides for real-time graphic presentation of risk-adjusted complications to ensure that program performance is maintained and to identify areas for improvement. Methods and Materials: This was a single center study, performed at a medium volume program after IRB approval. Data were collected on consecutive patients over a one-year period (Oct 4, 2016- Oct 3, 2017) coincident with the restart of a pediatric cardiac surgical program. Mortality data are plotted using Variable Life Adjusted Display (VLAD). Complications are collected for each patient prospectively using STS standard definitions and CUSUM and O-E plots generated. Complication burden (accounting for both frequency and severity of complications) was calculated for each STAT category and compared to historic data. Results: Mortality rate for the cohort was 3.6% (6/164, Fig 1, panel A). In 94 patients, there were no complications (57.3%). Thirty-five patients had 1 complication and 35 had &amp;lt; 2 complications. Complications resulting in mortality (failure-to-rescue rate) is 8.7%. Most common complications were pulmonary (40, 23.4%) arrhythmia (27, 15.8%), and neurologic (28, 16.4%). High risk complications occurred infrequently including acute renal failure (n=14), bleeding requiring reoperation (n=4), unexpected cardiac arrest (n=3), low cardiac output (n=11), mechanical circulatory support (n=7), neurologic deficit (n=9), and sepsis (n=1) (Fig 1, panel B). Four outlier patients account for spikes in the O-E CUSUM plot (Fig 1, panel C). Complication severity and frequency escalate with increasing STAT category (Fig 1, panel D). Conclusion: A continuously updated dashboard permits real-time adverse outcome reporting, potentially allowing earliest identification of areas of concern or focus. Proof of the value of this approach will require replication in additional centers of various size.

Disparities in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Outcomes by Neighborhood Income

Disparities in health outcomes based on neighborhood have been documented for obesity and asthma, among other conditions. To evaluate whether this

Blood Versus Crystalloid Cardioplegia in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

The benefit of blood cardioplegia (BCP) compared to crystalloid cardioplegia (CCP) is still debatable. Our aim was to systematically review and synthesize all available evidence on the use of BCP and CCP to assess if any modality provides superior outcomes in pediatric cardiac surgery. A systematic literature search of the PubMed and Cochrane databases was performed with respect to the PRISMA statement (end-of-search date: January 30th, 2017). We extracted data on study design, demographics, cardioplegia regimens, and perioperative outcomes as well as relevant biochemical markers, namely cardiac troponin I (cTnI), lactate, and ATP levels at baseline, after reperfusion and postoperatively at 1, 4, 12, and 24h as applicable. Data were appropriately pooled using random and mixed effects models. Our systematic review includes 56 studies reporting on a total of 7711 pediatric patients. A meta-analysis of the 10 eligible studies directly comparing BCP (n=416) to CCP (n=281) was also performed. There was no significant difference between the two groups with regard to cTnI and Lac at any measured time point, ATP levels after reperfusion, length of intensive care unit stay (WMD: -0.08, 95% CI -1.52 to 1.36), length of hospital stay (WMD: 0.13, 95% CI -0.85 to 1.12), and 30-day mortality (OR 1.11, 95% CI 0.43-2.88). Only cTnI levels at 4h postoperatively were significantly lower with BCP (WMD: -1.62, 95% CI -2.07 to -1.18). Based on the available data, neither cardioplegia modality seems to be superior in terms of clinical outcomes, ischemia severity, and overall functional recovery.

Post-operative Outcomes in Children Undergoing Fontan Palliation in a Regionalized Surgical System.

Evidence suggests that outcomes in pediatric cardiac surgery are improved by consolidating care into centers of excellence. Our objective was to determine if outcomes are equivalent in patients across a large regional referral base, or if patients from centers without on-site surgery are at a disadvantage. Since 1996, all pediatric cardiac surgery has been offered at one of two centers within the region assessed, with the majority being performed at Stollery Children's Hospital. All patients who underwent a Fontan between 1996 and 2016 were included. Follow-up data including length of stay (LOS), repeat surgical interventions, and transplant-free survival were acquired for each patient. The association between post-operative outcomes and home center was assessed using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional Hazards models. 320 children (median age 3.3years, IQR 2.8-4.0) were included; 120 (37.5%) had the surgical center as their home center. Cardiac anatomy was hypoplastic left heart syndrome in 107 (33.4%) subjects. Median LOS was 11days (IQR, 8-17), and there were 8 in-hospital deaths. There were 17 deaths and 11 transplants over the course of follow-up. Five-year transplant-free survival was 92.5%. There was no difference in hospital re-intervention, late re-intervention, or survival by referral center (all p>0.05). In multivariable analysis, home center was not predictive of either LOS (R 2=-0.40, p=0.87) or transplant-free survival (1.52, 95%CI 0.66, 3.54). In children with complex congenital heart disease, a regionalized surgical care model achieves good outcomes, which do not differ according to a patient's home base.

Diagnostic accuracy and prognostic valued of plasmatic Cystatin-C in children undergoing pediatric cardiac surgery

BackgroundDiagnosis and treatment of acute kidney injury (AKI) is often delayed in children after cardiac surgery due to the lack of an early biomarker of renal damage. Our aim was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of plasma cystatin-C as an early biomarker of AKI and its prognostic value in pediatric cardiac surgery. MethodsCystatin-C and creatinine were measured pre-operatively and at 2–6–12h post-surgery. The primary outcome was: AKI (defined as an increase of ≥1.5 of plasma creatinine from baseline) and a composite marker, including major complications and/or extubation time>15days. Risk was evaluated using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, considering some continuous predictors in the basal model (i.e., age, body surface area and Aristotle-score) to which cystatin-C peak values were added. Discrimination, calibration, and reclassification tests were also performed. Results248 children (140 males) undergoing cardiac surgery (median age 6.5months; IQR: 1.7–40.1months; range 0–17years) have been enrolled. Post operatory Cystatin-C values were found to be an early diagnostic marker of AKI showing the best area under the ROC curve value (AUC) at 12h (0.746, CI 95% 0.674–0.818). In the multivariable analyses, peak cystatin-C values showed a significant hazard ratio (HR=2.665, CI 95% 1.750–4.059, p<0.001). Finally, post operatory cystatin-C at 12h significantly improved the AUC (p=0.017) compared to basal model, resulting a net gain in reclassification proportion (NRI=0.417, p<0.001). ConclusionsOur data show that cystatin-C should be considered an early biomarker of AKI, improving the risk prediction for complicated outcome in pediatric cardiac surgery.

Current trends in racial, ethnic, and healthcare disparities associated with pediatric cardiac surgery outcomes.

Despite overall improvements in congenital heart disease outcomes, racial and ethnic disparities have continued. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of race and ethnicity, as well as other risk factors on congenital heart surgery length of stay and in-hospital mortality. From the 2012 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kids Inpatient Database (KID), we identified 13130 records with Risk Adjustment in Congenital Heart Surgery complexity score-eligible procedures. Multivariate logistic and linear regression modeling with survey weights, stratification and clustering was used to examine the relationships between predictor variables and length of stay as well as in-hospital mortality. No significant mortality differences were found among all race and ethnicity groups across each age group. Black neonates and black infants had a longer length of stay (neonatal estimate = 8.73 days, P = .0034; infant estimate 1.10 days, P = .0253), relative to whites. Government-sponsored insurance was associated with increased odds of neonatal mortality (odds ratio = 1.51, P = .0055), increased length of stay in neonates (estimate = 4.26 days, P = .0009) and infants (estimate = 1.52 days, P = .0181), relative to private insurance. Government-sponsored insurance was associated with increased number of chronic conditions, which were also associated with increased LOS (estimate 8.39 days, P < .001 in neonates; estimate 3.60 days, P < .001 in infants; estimate 1.87 days, P < .001 children). Racial/ethnic disparities in congenital heart surgical outcomes may be changing compared with previous studies using the KID database. Increased length of stay in children with government-sponsored insurance may reflect expansion of individual states government-sponsored insurance eligibility criteria for children with complex chronic medical conditions. These findings warrant cautious optimism regarding racial and ethnic disparities in congenital heart surgery outcomes.

Predictors of prolonged mechanical ventilation in pediatric patients after cardiac surgery for congenital heart disease

Background: The duration of mechanical ventilation (MV) is one of the most important clinical factors which predict outcomes in pediatric cardiac surgery. The prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) following cardiac surgery is a multifactorial phenomenon and there are conflicts regarding its predictors in pediatric population between different centers. Objectives: The current study aimed to describe PMVpredictors in patients undergoing cardiac surgery for congenital heart disease in a tertiary center for pediatric cardiovascular diseases in Iran. Patients and Methods: From May to December 2014, all pediatric patients (less than a month -15 years old) admitted to pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) after congenital heart surgeries were consecutively included. The PMV was defined as mechanical ventila- tion duration more than 72 hours as medium PMV and more than seven days as extended PMV. The demographic data and variables probably related to PMV were recorded during the PICU stay. Results: A total of 300 patients, 56.7% male, were enrolled in this study. Their mean age was 32 ± 40 months .The median duration (IQR) of MVwas 18 hours (8.6 - 48 hours). The incidence of PMV more than 72 hours and seven days was 20% and 10.7%, respectively. Younger age, lower weight, heart failure, higher doses of inotropes, pulmonary hypertension, respiratory infections and delayed sternal closure were independent predictors of PMV in multivariate analyses. Conclusions: The results of this study indicated that PMV predictors could be specific for each center and a good administration program is needed for each pediatric cardiac surgery center for the preoperative management of patients undergoing congenital heart surgeries.

Larger Centers Produce Better Outcomes in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery: Regionalization is a Superior Model - The Con Prospective.

Regionalization, in the context of congenital heart surgery, describes a process where smaller units close and patients are redistributed to larger centers. Proponents argue this will produce superior patient outcome based primarily on a volume-outcome effect. The potential disadvantage is that, as distance to center increases, access to service is compromised. In this article the volume-outcome effect is appraised and the effect of risk-stratification and threshold volumes explored. Access to service, and how certain congenital lesions and demographics might be disadvantaged, is reviewed. Alternative models are considered including collaborative programing and a standardizing approach of agreed parameters in personnel and infrastructure. Finally the influence of newer developments and quality metrics, including outcome databases, digital technologies and team-cognitive performance, needs to be factored in as the future unfolds. Ultimately, the design of a national congenital cardiac program should aspire to deliver care that is optimal, equitable and economic for the whole population. The solution lies in the distillation of competing variables cognizant of regional demographics and geography.