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Pediatric appropriate use criteria (AUC) were recently published for initial outpatient transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of AUC publication on TTE ordering patterns of pediatric cardiologists. Data were prospectively collected on patients who had initial outpatient TTE ordered before (phase I, April to September 2014) and 3 months after (phase II, January to April 2015) AUC document publication at 6 centers. Site investigators assessed each study's indication and assigned AUC appropriateness as “appropriate” (A), “may be appropriate” (M), “rarely appropriate” (R), or “unclassifiable.” One hundred three physicians ordered 4,562 TTEs (2,655 phase I and 1,907 phase II). Overall, there was no statistically significant change in the proportion of A, M, or unclassifiable, but R decreased (12.0% to 9.6%, p = 0.01). There was significant variability among the centers in the percentage of studies for indications rated R (4.9% to 34.8%). There was no significant change in any of the appropriateness ratings at 4 centers, a decrease in R and an increase in A at 1 and a decrease in R and increase in unclassifiable at another. The first pediatric AUC document had only a small impact on physician ordering behavior for initial TTEs, including a small decrease in R. There was a significant variability in appropriateness of studies among centers. These data suggest that active educational interventions are required to substantially improve the appropriate use of pediatric TTE in the outpatient setting.

Aortic valve morphology has been invoked as intrinsic to outcomes of balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) for congenital aortic valve stenosis. We sought to use aortic valve morphologic features to discriminate between valves that respond favorably or unfavorably to BAV, using aortic insufficiency (AI) as the primary outcome. All patients who underwent BAV at 2 large-volume pediatric centers from 2007 to 2014 were reviewed. Morphologic features assessed on pre-BAV echo included valve pattern (unicuspid, functional bicuspid, and true bicuspid), leaflet fusion length, leaflet excursion angle, and aortic valve opening area and on post-BAV echo included leaflet versus commissural tear. Primary end point was increase in AI (AI+) of ≥2°. Eighty-nine patients (median age 0.2 years) were included in the study (39 unicuspid, 41 functional bicuspid, and 9 true bicuspid valves). Unicuspid valves had a lower opening area (p <0.01) and greater fusion length (p = 0.01) compared with functional and true bicuspid valves. Valve gradient pre-BAV and post-BAV were not different among valve patterns. Of the 16 patients (18%) with AI+, 14 had leaflet tears (odds ratio 13.9, 3.8 to 50). True bicuspid valves had the highest rate (33%) of AI+. On multivariate analysis, leaflet tears were associated with AI+, with larger opening area pre-BAV and lower fusion length pre-BAV. AI+ was associated with larger pre-BAV opening area. Gradient relief was associated with reduced angle of excursion. Valve morphology influences outcomes after BAV. Valves with lesser fusion and larger valve openings have higher rates of leaflet tears which in turn are associated with AI.

Background Despite routine echocardiographic surveillance for childhood cancer survivors, the ability to predict cardiomyopathy risk in individual patients is limited. We explored the feasibility and optimal processes for machine learning-enhanced cardiomyopathy prediction in survivors using serial echocardiograms from five centers. Methods We designed a series of deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs) for prediction of cardiomyopathy (shortening fraction ≤ 28% or ejection fraction ≤ 50% on two occasions) for at-risk survivors ≥ 1-year post initial cancer therapy. We built DCNNs with four subsets of echocardiographic data differing in timing relative to case (survivor who developed cardiomyopathy) index diagnosis and two input formats (montages) with differing image selections. We used holdout subsets in a 10-fold cross-validation framework and standard metrics to assess model performance (e.g., F1-score, area under the precision-recall curve [AUPRC]). Performance of the input formats was compared using a combined 5 × 2 cross-validation F-test. Results The dataset included 542 pairs of montages: 171 montage pairs from 45 cases at time of cardiomyopathy diagnosis or pre-diagnosis and 371 pairs from 70 at-risk survivors who didn’t develop cardiomyopathy during follow-up (non-case). The DCNN trained to distinguish between non-case and time of cardiomyopathy diagnosis or pre-diagnosis case montages achieved an AUROC of 0.89 ± 0.02, AUPRC 0.83 ± 0.03, and F1-score: 0.76 ± 0.04. When limited to smaller subsets of case data (e.g., ≥ 1 or 2 years pre-diagnosis), performance worsened. Model input format did not impact performance accuracy across models. Conclusions This methodology is a promising first step toward development of a DCNN capable of accurately differentiating pre-diagnosis versus non-case echocardiograms to predict survivors more likely to develop cardiomyopathy. Graphical Abstract

Objective To determine the appropriateness and yield of transthoracic echocardiograms (TTE) for murmur evaluation based on the pediatric Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) and study the influence of patient age and physician experience on TTE appropriateness, yield, and ordering frequency. Design Retrospective review of medical records of patients referred to our practice for murmur evaluation from April to September 2014. Data collected included indication for TTE, patient age, physician experience since fellowship, TTE findings and exit diagnosis. Appropriateness was assigned based on the AUC document. Setting Pediatric cardiology clinics affiliated with a large pediatric cardiology practice. Patients. One thousand seven hundred one consecutive patients (≤ 18 years) referred to our practice for murmur evaluation. Interventions Not applicable Outcome Measures The primary outcome was appropriateness of TTE orders. The secondary outcomes were the yield of abnormal TTE findings and the influence of patient age and physician experience on appropriateness, yield, and frequency of ordering TTEs. Results Of the 1701 patients referred for a murmur, 526 (30.9%) had a TTE [441/526 (83.8%) Appropriate; 85/526 (16.2%) Rarely Appropriate]. Abnormal findings were present in 130/441 rated Appropriate and none rated Rarely Appropriate. Infants <3 months had the highest rate of TTEs rated Appropriate and the highest yield of abnormal findings. Physicians with >20 years of experience not only had the lowest TTE ordering rate but also the lowest appropriateness rate with no difference in the yield of abnormal findings. Conclusions Most TTEs ordered for murmur were for indications rated Appropriate. Abnormal findings were present in one-fourth and only those rated Appropriate. Patient age and physician experience can significantly influence TTE utilization. This information is helpful in designing quality initiatives to optimize TTE utilization for murmur evaluation.

ObjectiveMore patients with Fontan physiology are reaching adulthood. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the late outcomes of patients palliated with Fontan procedure and to assess the risk factors for mortality.MethodsPubMed, Embase and Web of Science were queried to retrieve observational studies of survival in patients following the Fontan procedure with ≥5 years of follow-up. A random-effects model was used to determine pooled survival estimates at 5, 10 and 15 years. Meta-regression was used to assess potential moderators for death.ResultsNineteen articles with a total of 5859 patients were included. The weighted mean follow-up time was 8.94±2.64 years with overall 8.3% deaths and 1.5% transplants. Pooled survival estimates at 5, 10 and 15 years were 90.7%, 87.2% and 87.5%, respectively; and 88.4%, 85.7% and 84.1%, respectively, for studies that included all three time intervals (n=4). Earliest surgical year included in the study, proportion of atriopulmonary connections versus extracardiac conduit or lateral tunnel, and older age at Fontan were associated with higher rates of death, but ventricular morphology was not. Protein-losing enteropathy, reoperation and pacemaker insertion were reported in 2.1%, 5.6% and 6.8% patients, respectively.ConclusionsSurvival following the Fontan procedure has improved with time and is influenced by Fontan type and age at the time of Fontan. At a mean follow-up of 8.9 years, there was no significant association between survival and ventricular morphology, not taking into account the mortality prior to Fontan.

Vascular rings are increasingly identified on fetal echocardiography. The purpose of this study is to analyze clinical outcomes and patterns of diagnostic testing in fetuses with vascular rings diagnosed by echocardiography. A retrospective cohort study was performed of fetuses with postnatally confirmed vascular rings from 2017 to 2022. Clinical outcomes included type and timing of symptoms, and timing of surgical intervention. Freedom from symptoms and/or surgery was assessed by Kaplan–Meier analysis. Frequency of genetic and diagnostic testing (barium esophagogram, CT/MRI angiogram, and bronchoscopy) was also assessed. Overall, 46 patients were evaluated (91% with a right aortic arch/left ductus and 4% with a double aortic arch). A vascular ring was isolated in 59%, associated with structural heart lesions in 33%, and associated with noncardiac anomalies in 8%. Prenatal diagnoses increased over time. Symptoms developed in 24% (11/46); 82% (9/11) had respiratory and 45% (5/11) had gastroesophageal complaints. Surgery was performed in 17% (11/46). Symptoms presented bimodally, prior to 100 or after 400 days of life. There was no difference in the type of symptoms for early (< 100 days) or late (> 400 days) presenters. Symptomatic patients received more diagnostic testing. Genetic testing was obtained in 46% and positive in 33%, with 22q11 deletion and Trisomy 21 being identified. Prenatal diagnoses of vascular rings increased over time, with subjects developing symptoms bimodally in early or late infancy. The frequency of genetic testing was suboptimal given the prevalence of genetic abnormalities seen in this population.

Newborns with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and other single right ventricular variants require substantial health care resources. Weekend acute care has been associated with worse outcomes and increased resource use in other populations but has not been studied in patients with single ventricle. Subjects of the Single Ventricle Reconstruction trial were classified by whether they had a weekend admission and by day of the week of Norwood procedure. The primary outcome was hospital length of stay (LOS); secondary outcomes included transplant-free survival, intensive care unit (ICU) LOS, and days of mechanical ventilation. The Student's t test with log transformation and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test were used to analyze associations. Admission day was categorized for 533 of 549 subjects (13% weekend). The day of the Norwood was Thursday/Friday in 39%. There was no difference in median hospital LOS, transplant-free survival, ICU LOS, or days ventilated for weekend versus non-weekend admissions. Day of the Norwood procedure was not associated with a difference in hospital LOS, transplant-free survival, ICU LOS, or days ventilated. Prenatally diagnosed infants born on the weekend had lower mean birth weight, younger gestational age, and were more likely to be intubated but did not have a difference in measured outcomes. In conclusion, in this cohort of patients with single right ventricle, neither weekend admission nor end-of-the-week Norwood procedure was associated with increased use of hospital resources or poorer outcomes. We speculate that the complex postoperative course following the Norwood procedure outweighs any impact that day of admission or operation may have on these outcomes.

We evaluated quality characteristics of cardiac point-of-care ultrasound performed in our paediatric cardiac ICU. Of 47 included patients, diagnostic imaging was feasible in a high percentage of patients with good image quality. Intensivist interpretations of images were highly specific for dichotomised abnormal findings when compared to interpretation from a cardiologist with expertise in imaging but challenges in accurately assessing depressed ventricular function and the risk of discrepant interpretations exist even amongst frequent users with extensive training and experience. These findings may serve as a template for continued development of cardiac point-of-care ultrasound in a high-impact clinical environment.

A 2-year-old boy with an incidental finding of massive cardiomegaly on a chest X-ray was diagnosed with a giant right atrial aneurysm upon further investigation with echocardiography. The patient underwent successful surgical reduction of the right atrium and closure of the patent foramen ovale to prevent thromboembolic complications and to lower the risk of atrial arrhythmias. The resected atrium had paper-thin walls and pathological features of interstitial fibrosis with endocardial thickening.