Active clinical trials for "Heart Defects, Congenital"

Anemia is a common disorder in infants with one working chamber of the heart that pumps blood. Anemia is when the level of healthy blood cells becomes too low. This may cause other health problems because red blood cells contain hemoglobin, which carries oxygen (needed for survival) to different parts of the body. This study will look at the role of iron in preventing anemia in infants with one pumping chamber. The importance of iron therapy will be examined. Hypothesis: Prophylactic use of iron in infants with single ventricle is effective in preventing anemia.

Paediatric long-term safety follow-up clinical trial in maximum 100 children with heart failure due to dilated cardiomyopathy or congenital heart disease, from 1 day to less than 12 years of age at recruitment into the preceding short-term pharmacokinetic (PK)/pharmacodynamic (PD) trials. Pharmacodynamic measurements and renal monitoring in all children after 1 , 4, 7 and 10 months of follow-up; in addition PK assessments as well as acceptability and palatability assessments in children still under enalapril Orodispersible Minitablet (ODMT) treatment.

Adults with complex congenital heart disease have impaired muscle function compared both to health controls and patients with lesions classified as simple. There is only one study assessing the effects of resistance training in patients palliated with Fontan procedure. The hypotheses of the present study is that home based resistance training will improve muscle function in adults with different complex congenital hear diseases.

This is a study to determine the safety and efficacy of liothyronine sodium/triiodothyronine (Triostat), a synthetic thyroid hormone, when given to infants with congenital heart disease during cardiopulmonary bypass surgery. Funding Source - FDA OOPD.

Cardiac pathology is a major risk for brain injury and neurodevelopmental deficit. The most common cause of cardiac pathology is congenital heart defects (CHD) about 4-8/1000 live births a year. The most common etiology of the brain insult is hypoxic ischemic injury (HII) as result of hemodynamic instability in the perioperative period. Similar insults in adults with cardiac arrest or infants with neonatal asphyxia, was successfully treated with hypothermia, initiated within 6 hours after the event. Although, hypothermia is most likely an effective treatment for HII in children with cardiac anomaly, it also carries a risk for bleeding or infection of the surgical wound. In this randomized control trial, hypothermia treatment will be compared to normothermia treatment of patients in the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (PCICU) following severe HII in the PCICU or operating room. The effect will be quantified by MRI, serum biomarkers of brain injury, amplitude integrated EEG, neurological evaluation coagulation and infection evaluation in the acute phase and by developmental assessment at 1, 6 months and 2, 5 years. Favorable effect of hypothermia with minimal risks may open the door for the implementation of hypothermia as a standard care in PCICUs.

Patients under deep sedation and general anesthesia lose heat to their surrounding environment. Hypothermia after anesthesia is associated with worse patient outcomes, including increased number of infections and cardiovascular complications. Cardiac MRI scans performed for patients who require general anesthesia can cause a loss of body heat. Several mechanisms exist for reducing hypothermia under anesthesia including forced air warmers, fluid warmers, radiant warmers, and chemical warmers. Unfortunately, there are no MRI-compatible systems which allow patient warming and prevention of hypothermia in anesthetized patient in the MRI-scanner. This study is testing a non-invasive device that warms patients under clinically indicated general anesthesia in the MRI scanner. This device will keep in the heat made by the MRI scanner.

Diffuse fibrosis (or scarring) of the heart muscle is found in a variety of congenital heart diseases and in cardiomyopathies (heart muscle disease), and is considered a mediator of decreased cardiac function. The detection and quantification of diffuse myocardial fibrosis has recently become feasible non-invasively, using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), applying a new technique labeled T1 mapping. With this technique, the part of the heart tissue which is not made up of muscle cells (extracellular volume) can be quantified, as long as the individual's hematocrit (cellular volume in the blood) is known. The extracellular volume in the heart tissue is regarded as a quantifiable marker for the extent of diffuse myocardial fibrosis. In the proposed study this new T1 mapping technique shall be applied in patients with different forms of congenital heart disease (n=130), cardiomyopathies (n=40) and in control subjects (n=30). The additional scan time due to participation in the study will be approximately 5-10 minutes, without changing the clinical protocol. The main objective is to study the presence and extent of myocardial fibrosis by T1 mapping CMR in pediatric patients with congenital heart disease and cardiomyopathies, in comparison to cardiovascularly healthy controls.

The purpose of this study is to determine the average risk for thyroid irradiation for any type of paediatric cardiac catheterization, based on the cummulative at-risk dose of 100 mSv, adjusted to the measured thyroid volume and to the patient's age.

Healthy Lifestyles for Children with Complex Heart Problems is a planning and resource development project. The goal of the project is to develop an implementation plan that would enable children with complex heart problems to lead healthy, active lives within their own community. The primary goal of the project is to promote physical activity, because the physical and mental health benefits of activity are very important for these children. Children with complex heart problems have a higher risk for obesity, diabetes, acquired heart disease and mental health problems than their healthy peers. The physical health benefits of physical activity are well known, but physical activity is also key for children's mental health. Physical activity enables children to socialize with peers and create bonds and friendships. Physical activity participation also directly elevates mood through the release of brain chemicals. Children with complex heart problems are also known to experience fear and anxiety related to physical activity. This project will also develop strategies to promote healthy eating and the prevention of physical activity-related injuries to these children and their families. Children with complex heart problems are at higher risk of overweight and obesity and face unique injury risks related to pacemakers or their medications. Extensive consultations with families and caregivers have identified needed supports for physical activity lifestyles, mental health, healthy eating and injury prevention for these children. The goal of the interviews was to understand the positive and negative influences on physical activity and healthy lifestyles for these children. Analyses of the interview content was used to develop a detailed, step-by-step implementation plan to provide the supports necessary for children with complex heart problems to lead active, healthy lives in their own community, with their family and friends. The implementation plan specifies changes to family education and counselling resources, clinical care routines, and communication among professionals and families. The clinical trial will evaluate the impact of implementing the family supports and changes to practice previously developed. Surveys will be completed by families attending the cardiac clinic before and after the changes to practice and additional resources are made available. Interviews will be utilized to gather additional feedback from professionals and families that receive counselling utilizing the supplementary materials.

"Fearless Physical Activity" are fun, physical literacy events where people with congenital heart disease (CHD) and sport/recreation leaders can do community-based sport/recreation opportunities "without fear" (i.e., appropriate for their health). Ontarians with CHD are a large and rapidly growing population;1% of children are born with CHD, adding 1,440 new children/year to the 113,900 Ontarians of all ages who are living with CHD. 'Fearless' will target CHD children, youth or adults, while encouraging family-based participation. During each season, the investigators will offer a one-day event for each age group (children, youth, adults) in each region of Ontario (4 seasons x 3 age groups x 4 regions = 48 events). Event activities will be hosted by community partners, such as the MLSE Launch Pad (Toronto) or the YMCA/YWCA of the National Capital Region (Ottawa), so that they are sustainable beyond this project. Activities will be chosen based on opportunities available in local communities at little to no cost (e.g., use of local trails and parks). Event leaders and participants will be educated about physical literacy and screening tasks will be used to identify those needing significant or specialized physical literacy support. People with CHD lead mostly sedentary lives. They are much less active than their friends and colleagues, even when their heart disease is mild, and inactivity can contribute to a higher risk for heart attacks, stroke, obesity, and depression. Uncertainty about physical activity, even though it is recommended (American Heart Association, May 2014), is an important barrier to the physical and mental health benefits of physical activity. "How much is too much?" and "Will it be too much for my heart?" are top-of-mind. "Fearless Physical Activity" will provide children, youth and adults living with CHD with new physical activity experiences and opportunities to enhance their physical literacy so they are better able to be "active for life".