Active clinical trials for "Heart Defects, Congenital"

Severe pulmonary regurgitation is common in patients with Tetralogy of Fallot and results in progressive right ventricular dilatation and dysfunction. Pulmonary valve replacement is frequent in this population, and percutaneous procedures are increasing. Ventricular arrhythmias are a frequent late complication in patients with tetralogy of Fallot. The most common critical isthmus of ventricular tachycardias is between the pulmonary valve and the ventricular septal defect patch. While an electrophysiology study is sometimes performed in expert centers before surgical pulmonary valve replacement to guide a surgical ablation if needed, this approach is not recommended in current guidelines. An electrophysiology study should also be considered before percutaneous pulmonary valve replacement, as a part of the critical isthmus may be covered by the prosthetic pulmonary valve. Moreover, ablation after percutaneous pulmonary valve insertion exposes patients to the risks of traumatic valve or stent injury and infectious endocarditis. At present, reliable predictors to identify high-risk patients in whom an electrophysiology study should be performed before pulmonary valve replacement are lacking. The aim of this study is to assess prospectively the yield of systematic electrophysiology study and programmed ventricular stimulation before surgical and percutaneous pulmonary valve replacement in patients with tetralogy of Fallot.

Background: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most frequent inborn defect with an incidence of 1 in 100 newborns per year, i.e. 800 children born in Switzerland per year. 10% to 15% of cases are born with single ventricle (SV), the most complex type of CHF requiring immediate surgical intervention after birth. Infants with SV CHD are treated in three surgical staged procedures over the first three years of life. However, cerebral injuries occur in around 40% of those children and impact neurocognitive abilities. As more than 90% of all infants with CHD survive to adulthood, scientific concern is focussed on patient-individual course brain growth and development within the relative contribution of fetal, perinatal, cardiac and surgical risk factors. Therefore, serial cerebral MRI examinations are needed, starting (1) at the third trimester during fetal life proceeding to (2) pre- and postoperative time points at the stage I surgery after birth and (3) before stage II surgery at 4 months of age. We will compare the cerebral MRI findings with a healthy control population, recruited at the same time points, and correlate brain growth and development with the neurodevelopmental outcome assessed at one year of age. Three Pediatric Heart Centers in Switzerland and Germany will participate. The overall aims are: To analyse the patient-individual cerebral developmental trajectories, brain growth and determine the time course of brain abnormalities in infants with single ventricle CHD by serial cerebral MRI during fetal life, after birth and at an age of 4 months (primary endpoints). To determine the neurodevelopmental outcome at one year of age using the Bayley III and will be correlated with the brain growth and brain development in the third trimester of fetal life and at the age of 4 months (secondary endpoints). To analyse fetal, neonatal, surgery-related and intensive care associated factors determining the patient-individual course for altered cerebral growth and impaired neurodevelopmental outcome at one year of age. Methodology: We will prospectively enroll fetuses and neonates with single ventricle CHD at the three Pediatric Heart Centers in Switzerland (Zurich, Bern) and Germany (Giessen). Advanced MR imaging will assess cerebral volumes, microstructural and hemodynamic changes at repeated time points during the third trimester of fetal life (32. week of gestation), the perioperative neonatal period before and after stage I surgery and before stage II surgery at 4 months of age. Biomechanical analysis of longitudinal changes of brain morphology will be applied to longitudinal fetal and neonatal MRI data. Outcome is determined with the Bayley-III at one year of age. Significance: Using a population-based sample of children with single ventricle CHD, we will be able to determine cerebral growth from the third fetal trimester until the first 4 months after birth, when the brain is most rapidly growing. By performing serial brain imaging, the knowledge of etiological pattern affecting cerebral growth, development and brain injury will increase. Morphometric and biomechanical analysis of brain growth patterns will be performed that may capture fine-grained changes associated with CHD. By correlating these data with the neurodevelopmental outcome at one year of age it will be possible to identify specific risk constellations leading to impaired brain development and categories of brain injuries that confer a higher risk of adverse outcome. The better understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms will serve as the basis for neuroprotective studies and pharmacological trials aiming to improve outcomes in children with CHD in the future.

Feasibility of non-invasive cerebral autoregulation measurement at the PICU and impact of changes in oxygen supply

This study aims to identify the molecular genetic causes of the variability in development of calcific aortic valve disease in bicuspid and tricuspid aortic valves and their associated aortic dilation.

Congenital heart defects (CHD) are the most common major human birth malformation, affecting ~8 per 1,000 live births. CHD are associated with significant morbidity and mortality, and are second only to infectious diseases in contributing to the infant mortality rate. Current understanding of the etiology of pediatric cardiovascular disorders is limited. The Congenital Heart Disease GEnetic NEtwork Study (CHD GENES) is a multi-center, prospective observational cohort study. Participants will be recruited from the Pediatric Cardiac Genomics Consortium's (PCGC) centers of the NHLBI-sponsored Bench to Bassinet (B2B) Program. Biological specimens will be obtained for genetic analyses, and phenotype data will be collected by interview and from medical records. State-of-the-art genomic technologies will be used to identify common genetic causes of CHD and genetic modifiers of clinical outcome. To accomplish this, the PCGC will develop and maintain a biorepository of specimens (DNA) and genetic data, along with detailed, phenotypic and clinical outcomes data in order to investigate relationships between genetic factors and phenotypic and clinical outcomes in congenital heart disease.

This research study is being done to provide comparative data to the Mayo Clinic Adult Congenital Heart Disease Registry.

Rationale: During cardiac surgery, neonates are at high risk of cerebral damage: 36-78% will have new cerebral lesions after surgery. Adequate cerebral perfusion (CBF) is mandatory to prevent postoperative brain damage and neurobehavioral outcomes. For CBF, the systemic blood pressure should be managed above the brain's critical closing pressure (CrCP), and preferably above the lower limit of autoregulation (LLA), if intact. Objective: The investigators aim to study the patient specific threshold for arterial blood pressure to maintain adequate cerebral perfusion (CBFV) in the perioperative setting and the association between perioperative abnormalities with postoperative brain damage and neurobehavioral outcomes. Study design: In a prospective observational cohort study bilateral cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) measurements are performed with transcranial doppler (TCD), together with invasive arterial blood pressure (iABP) measurements in the perioperative period. Study population: Neonates (semi-) electively scheduled for major cardiac- surgery. Main study parameters/endpoints: Main study endpoint is the Critical Closing Pressure (CrCP) within and between subjects. Furthermore, we evaluate the association with new white matter injury (WMI) on the postoperative MRI. Nature and extent of the burden and risks associated with participation, benefit and group relatedness: Anticipated risks caused by TCD monitoring in neonates are considered negligible when monitoring is executed according to the BMUS guidelines and ALARA principle. Each time energy is converted from one form to another, part of it is inevitably converted to heat. Theoretically, if at all, the maximum temperature rise will happen at the skin- temporal bone side, where the monitoring probes are placed. A maximal thermal index (TI) of 0.7 is allowed, this corresponds with 0.7 o C temperature rise. Patients might not benefit from participation in this study as the TCD measurements are only visible and available to the TCD operator, and we do not yet know how the results could possibly influence the procedure. However, in the unlikely situation where cerebral perfusion is severely compromised for a longer period of time or in case of occurrence of large air emboli, improper cannulation or cross clamping the cardiac team will be notified. Therefore, a neonate might benefit from participation.

Children with congenital heart defects are far more likely to suffer a cardiovascular arrest and be in the need of cardiopulmonary resuscitation than healthy children or those with diseases of other organ systems, especially after cardiothoracic surgery. Due to a lack of data, the exact number of resuscitations in this patient cohort, as well as the morbidity and mortality, is unknown. This study aims to register all cardiovascular arrests in pediatric patients with congenital heart disease and study the mortality and morbidity with a special focus on the neurodevelopmental outcome.

The study objective is to compare neurodevelopmental (ND) and behavioral outcomes between children with Down syndrome (DS) who had complete atrioventricular septal defect (CAVSD) repair and children from the same clinical sites with DS without major congenital heart disease (CHD) requiring previous or planned CHD surgery.

This study will monitor device performance and outcomes of the SAPIEN 3 Transcatheter Heart Valve (THV) System in subjects with a dysfunctional right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) conduit or previously implanted surgical valve in the pulmonic position with a clinical indication for intervention.