Active clinical trials for "Heart Defects, Congenital"

Many variables measured in critically ill patients have been used to estimate severity of disease, prognosticate morbidity and mortality, evaluate costs of treatment, and finally indicate specific treatment and monitor the adequacy of treatment and its timing. It is unlikely that one measurement can replace all of these, but in the remainder of this manuscript the investigators will show that lactate levels may come close. Although in our mind strongly linked to tissue hypoxia, lactate levels follow many more metabolic processes not related to tissue hypoxia and, therefore, subject to many disturbances found in various clinical situations

Adults with a congenital heart disease, having undergone a surgical intervention or a re-do surgery in adulthood, are a growing group of subjects in the general population. This increase is explained by improved medical and surgical techniques, with a better survival rate as outcome. There is nowadays a growing interest in the quality of life of this group of subjects. However, studies give contradictory results. This can be explained on one hand by the vast majority of pathologies within this population, and on the other hand by the absence of a cardio-specific tool for quality of life measurement. The MacNew questionnaire is cardio-specific. It allows an evaluation of the quality of life based on the exploration of three domains: physical, emotional and social. The aim of this study is: to evaluate the quality of life of these patients, by using the MacNew questionnaire to explore the needs in terms of prevention, treatment and multi-disciplinary follow-up to assess the mortality within this group of patients.

This is a prospective single- center observational study in the Leiden University Medical Center in approximately 250 children (<12 years) undergoing elective cardiac surgery, for congenital heart disease. The parents/guardians of the children will be asked to fill out a questionnaire, to asses respiratory symptoms in the last weeks, before the operation of their child. In the operating theatre, a nasopharyngeal swab will collected. Clinical data will be collected daily during paediatric intensive care admission, and date of discharge from paediatric intensive care unit and from hospital are recorded. If children are still intubated at day 4 a second nasopharyngeal swab and residual blood will be collected. The samples will be tested for rhinovirus with a polymerase chain reaction. Main study parameter is the paediatric intensive care unit length of stay in per-operative rhinovirus -positive compared to rhinovirus-negative patients.

The purpose of this study is to retrospectively review our preliminary experience during a surgical trip to Tuxtla, Mexico, using suggamadex to reverse neuromuscular blockade following CPB and cardiac surgery for repair of CHD in infants and children.

Cardiopulmonary bypass-assisted surgery initiates a systemic inflammatory response induced by extrinsic (e.g. anesthesia, contact activation within the extracorporeal circuit, endotoxemia) and intrinsic (e.g. tissue damage, endothelial cell activation, ischemia-reperfusion injury of myocardium) factors. This may either be mild or lead to a more severe clinical condition. Inflammation after pediatric open heart surgery is a parameter affecting also duration of mechanical ventilatory support. Dexmedetomidine use was associated with a reduced increase in plasma IL-1, IL-6, TNF-a, and INF-g levels

Usually, "heart failure" refers to myocardial insufficiency of the left ventricle. However, in patients with congenital heart defects, often predominantly the right ventricle is affected. Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) has been shown to be a reliable biomarker for left ventricular function and severity of left ventricular failure. The objective of the present investigation is to evaluate brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) with regard to its predictive value as a biomarker for right ventricular function, clinical symptoms and/or the patients' quality of life.To this end, blood levels of neurohumoral markers are measured and tested for statistical correlation with exercise tolerance and right ventricular function, as assessed by imaging methods. A sample of healthy volunteers serves as a control group.

This study will examine genetic material obtained from blood and tissue samples of patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) and heterotaxy (an abnormality in the left-right positioning of organs in the body, also called situs inversus) to gain a better understanding of these disorders and of a lung disease called primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD). CHD is prevalent in patients with heterotaxy. It is believed that certain forms of CHD or heterotaxy may have the same genetic origin as PCD. Individuals 2 years of age or older who have a CHD or heterotaxy or both may be eligible for this study. Participants undergo some or all of the following tests and procedures: Blood tests, electrocardiogram (EGC) and chest x-ray. Saliva collection: Subjects rinse their mouth with water, and then spit approximately 1.5 cc of saliva into a sterile container. Buccal swabs: A small soft, toothbrush-like swab is rubbed on the inside lining of the cheek to collect tissue samples. Nasal tests to measure nasal nitric oxide levels and to obtain tissue samples from the inside of the nostrils: For the nitric oxide level test, a rubber probe is inserted into one of the nostrils until it fits snugly and comfortably. The subject then takes a deep breath and then exhales all the way out through the mouth through a plastic device. During exhalation, gas measurements are recorded on a computer. To obtain tissue samples, a device is inserted in a nostril and scraped gently against the inside of the nose. Echocardiography: This ultrasound test of the heart uses sound waves to obtain pictures of the heart. A small wand with a warm clear gel is moved around the chest to obtain the images. Abdominal ultrasound: This ultrasound test of the heart uses sound waves to obtain pictures of the abdominal organs. A small wand with a warm clear gel is moved around the abdomen to obtain the images....

Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is a form of congenital heart disease (the person is born with it). With BAV, the heart valves in the aorta (the blood vessel that takes blood away from the heart to the body) are not formed right. A person with BAV has only 2 leaflets instead of three and the valve leaflets are often thickened. This can result in the block of blood flow across the valve (aortic stenosis) and/or valve leakage (aortic valve regurgitation). From our experience at least 1/3 of patients with BAV will eventually develop complications. Many patients with BAV do not develop significant problems until well into adulthood. The most common problem in BAV patients is aortic dilatation and/or dissection. At this point, we do not know on who or why aortic dilatation or dissection occurs.It is unclear whether the enlargement is because of abnormal blood flow patterns, as a result of the shape of the bicuspid valve, or whether it is because the way the aortic valve and/or vessel is formed. In other words, the abnormal shape of the aortic valve may cause blood to flow in a different way than it normally would, causing damage to the aorta as blood leaves the heart. There may be a problem with the way the aortic valve connects to the aorta, which causes the aorta to get larger or break down over time. It is also possible that the wall of the aorta in patients with BAV is weaker than it would be in patients without BAV. At this point, we do not know. It is believed by the investigators that if we can determine why the aorta gets larger or tears, we can minimize the effects or prevent them altogether. This study will collect blood and cardiac MRI images from forty-five (45) patients at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Egleston. There will be a study group (patients with BAV) and a control group of patients (patients scheduled for a cardiac MRI but without BAV). All enrolled patients will have blood drawn by nursing staff from a peripheral vein and collected in tubes for testing the day of their MRI scan. This test is called a plasma matrix metalloproteinase level. It is believed that patients who have bicuspid aortic valves and dilated aortas have high plasma levels of this protein. This study will compare the MRI images and plasma matrix protein levels of all the patients participating in the study.

To create a registry of all Oregon children undergoing surgical repair of congenital heart disease since 1958 in order to determine mortality, morbidity, and disability after surgery and to assess the safety of pregnancy in women with corrected congenital heart disease and the risk of prematurity and occurrence of congenital heart defects in offspring.

Investigators would like to find out if a woman's exposure to Coxsackievirus has an effect or increase in incidence of babies being born with congenital heart disease(CHD)