Pulse oximetry home monitoring in infants with single-ventricle physiology and a surgical shunt as the only source of pulmonary blood flow

A scoping review of the post-discharge care needs of babies requiring surgery in the first year of life

Congenital anomalies are among the leading causes of under-5 mortality, predominantly impacting low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). A particularly vulnerable group are babies with congenital disorders requiring surgery in their first year. Addressing this is crucial to meet SDG-3, necessitating targeted efforts. Post-discharge, these infants have various care needs provided by caregivers, yet literature on these needs is scant. Our scoping review aimed to identify the complex care needs of babies post-surgery for critical congenital cardiac conditions and non-cardiac conditions. Employing the Joanna Briggs Institute's methodological framework for scoping reviews we searched Pubmed, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsychINFO, and Web of Science databases. Search terms included i) specific congenital conditions (informed by the literature and surgeons in the field), ii) post-discharge care, and iii) newborns/infants. English papers published between 2002-2022 were included. Findings were summarised using a narrative synthesis. Searches yielded a total of 10,278 papers, with 40 meeting inclusion criteria. 80% of studies were conducted in High-Income Countries (HICs). Complex care needs were shared between cardiac and non-cardiac congenital conditions. Major themes identified included 1. Monitoring, 2. Feeding, and 3. Specific care needs. Sub-themes included monitoring (oxygen, weight, oral intake), additional supervision, general feeding, assistive feeding, condition-specific practices e.g., stoma care, and general care. The post-discharge period poses a challenge for caregivers of babies requiring surgery within the first year of life. This is particularly the case for caregivers in LMICs where access to surgical care is challenging and imposes a financial burden. Parents need to be prepared to manage feeding, monitoring, and specific care needs for their infants before hospital discharge and require subsequent support in the community. Despite the burden of congenital anomalies occurring in LMICs, most of the literature is HIC-based. More research of this nature is essential to guide families caring for their infants post-surgical care.

Developing a sense of self-reliance: caregivers of infants with single-ventricle heart disease during the interstage period

BACKGROUND

Caring for infants after the first-stage palliative surgery for single-ventricle heart disease bring challenges beyond the usual parenting responsibilities. Current studies fail to capture the nuances of caregivers' experiences during the most critical "interstage" period between the first and second surgery.

OBJECTIVES

To explore the perceptions of caregivers about their experiences while transitioning to caregiver roles, including the successes and challenges associated with caregiving during the interstage period.

METHODS

Constructivist Grounded Theory methodology guided the collection and analysis of data from in person or telephonic interviews with caregivers after their infants underwent the first-stage palliative surgery for single-ventricle heart disease, and were sent to home for 2-4 months before returning for their second surgery. Symbolic interactionism informed data analyses and interpretation.

RESULTS

Our sample included 14 parents, who were interviewed 1-2 times between November, 2019 and July, 2020. Most patients were mothers (71%), Latinx (64%), with household incomes <$30K (42%). Data analysis led to the development of a Grounded Theory called Developing a Sense of Self-Reliance with three categories: (1) Owning caregiving responsibilities despite grave fears, (2) Figuring out how "to make it work" in the interstage period, and (3) Gaining a sense of self-reliance.

CONCLUSIONS

Parents transitioned to caregiver roles by developing a sense of self-reliance and, in the process, gained self-confidence and decision-making skills. Our study responded to the key research priority from the AHA Scientific Statement to address the knowledge gap in home monitoring for interstage infants through qualitative research design.

Ability of Video Telemetry to Predict Unplanned Hospital Admissions for Single Ventricle Infants

Background

Our Cardiac High Acuity Monitoring Program (CHAMP) uses home video telemetry (HVT) as an adjunct to monitor infants with single ventricle during the interstage period. This study describes the development of an objective early warning score using HVT, for identification of infants with single ventricle at risk for clinical deterioration and unplanned hospital admissions (UHA).

Methods and Results

Six candidate scoring parameters were selected to develop a pragmatic score for routine evaluation of HVT during the interstage period. We evaluated the individual and combined ability of these parameters to predict UHA. All infants with single ventricle monitored at home by CHAMP between March 2014 and March 2018 were included. Videos obtained within 48 hours before UHA were compared with videos obtained at baseline. We used binary logistic regression models and receiver operating characteristic curves to evaluate the parameters' performance in discriminating the outcome of interest.

Thirty‐nine subjects with 64 UHA were included. We compared 64 pre‐admission videos to 64 paired baseline videos. Scoring was feasible for a mean of 91.6% (83.6%–98%) of all observations. Three different HVT score models were proposed, and a final model composed of respiratory rate, respiratory effort, color, and behavior exhibited an excellent discriminatory capability with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 93% (89%–98%). HVT score of 5 was associated with specificity of 93.8% and sensitivity of 88.7% in predicting UHA.

Conclusions

We developed a feasible and reproducible HVT score that can serve as a tool to predict UHA in infants with single ventricle. Future directions involve prospective, multicenter validation of this tool.

A systematic review examining the clinical and health-care outcomes for congenital heart disease patients using home monitoring programmes

OBJECTIVES

This review aimed to present the clinical and health-care outcomes for patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) who use home monitoring technologies.

METHODS

Five databases were systematically searched from inception to November 2020 for quantitative studies in this area. Data were extracted using a pre-formatted data-collection table which included information on participants, interventions, outcome measures and results. Risk of bias was determined using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool for randomised controlled trials (RCTs), the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale for cohort studies and the Institute of Health Economics quality appraisal checklist for case-series studies.Data synthesis: Twenty-two studies were included in this systematic review, which included four RCTs, 12 cohort studies and six case-series studies. Seventeen studies reported on mortality rates, with 59% reporting that home monitoring programmes were associated with either a significant reduction or trend for lower mortality and 12% reporting that mortality trended higher. Fourteen studies reported on unplanned readmissions/health-care resource use, with 29% of studies reporting that this outcome was significantly decreased or trended lower with home monitoring and 21% reported an increase. Impact on treatment was reported in 15 studies, with 67% of studies finding that either treatment was undertaken significantly earlier or significantly more interventions were undertaken in the home monitoring groups.

CONCLUSION

The use of home monitoring programmes may be beneficial in reducing mortality, enabling earlier and more timely detection and treatment of CHD complication. However, currently, this evidence is limited due to weakness in study designs.

Interstage Home Monitoring for Infants With Single Ventricle Heart Disease: Education and Management: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

This scientific statement summarizes the current state of knowledge related to interstage home monitoring for infants with shunt‐dependent single ventricle heart disease. Historically, the interstage period has been defined as the time of discharge from the initial palliative procedure to the time of second stage palliation. High mortality rates during the interstage period led to the implementation of in‐home surveillance strategies to detect physiologic changes that may precede hemodynamic decompensation in interstage infants with single ventricle heart disease. Adoption of interstage home monitoring practices has been associated with significantly improved morbidity and mortality. This statement will review in‐hospital readiness for discharge, caregiver support and education, healthcare teams and resources, surveillance strategies and practices, national quality improvement efforts, interstage outcomes, and future areas for research. The statement is directed toward pediatric cardiologists, primary care providers, subspecialists, advanced practice providers, nurses, and those caring for infants undergoing staged surgical palliation for single ventricle heart disease.

Transplantation-free survival after Norwood surgery for hypoplastic left heart syndrome with aortic atresia: A Swedish national cohort study

BACKGROUND

Norwood surgery has been available in Sweden since 1993. In this national cohort study, we analysed transplantation-free survival after Norwood surgery for hypoplastic left heart syndrome with aortic atresia.

METHODS

Patients were identified from the complete national cohort of live-born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome/aortic atresia 1993-2010. Analysis of survival after surgery was performed using Cox proportional hazards models for the total cohort and for birth period and gender separately. Thirty-day mortality and inter-stage mortality were analysed. Patients were followed until September 2016.

RESULTS

The 1993-2010 cohort consisted of 208 live-born infants. Norwood surgery was performed in 121/208 (58%). The overall transplantation-free survival was 61/121 (50%). The survival was higher in the late period (10-year survival 63%) than in the early period (10-year survival 40%) (p = 0.010) and lower for female (10-year survival 34%) than for male patients (10-year survival 59%) (p = 0.002). Inter-stage mortality between stages I and II decreased from 23 to 8% (p = 0.008). For male patients, low birthweight in relation to gestational age was a factor associated with poor outcome.

CONCLUSION

The survival after Norwood surgery for hypoplastic left heart syndrome/aortic atresia improved by era of surgery, mainly explained by improved survival between stages I and II. Female gender was a significant risk factor for death or transplantation. For male patients, there was an increased risk of death when birthweight was lower than expected in relation to gestational age.

Surgical Options for Pulmonary Atresia with Ventricular Septal Defect in Neonates and Young Infants

BACKGROUND

The optimal surgical strategy for pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect (PA/VSD) in neonates and young infants is controversial. Staged repair may be associated with a higher risk of inter-stage mortality, while primary repair may lead to frequent post-repair re-interventions.

METHODS

From 2004 to 2017, 65 patients with PA/VSD who underwent surgical intervention before 90 days of age were identified and enrolled in this retrospective study. The cohort was divided into two groups: group-SR, who underwent initial palliation with staged repair (n = 50), and group-PR who underwent primary repair (n = 15).

RESULTS

There were three post-palliation in-hospital mortalities, four inter-stage mortalities, and one post-repair in-hospital mortality in group-SR. In group-PR, there was one in-hospital death and one late death. Five-year survival rates were comparable between the two groups (group-SR: 83.6%; group-PR: 86.7%; p = 0.754). During the median follow-up duration of 44.7 months (Inter-quartile range, 19-109 months), 40 post-repair re-interventions (22 in group-SR, 18 in group-PR) were performed in 26 patients (18 in group-SR, 8 in group-PR). On Cox proportional hazards model, primary repair was identified as the only risk factor for decreased time to death/1st post-repair re-intervention (Hazard ratio (HR): 2.3, p = 0.049) and death/2nd post-repair re-intervention (HR 2.91, p = 0.033).

CONCLUSIONS

A staged repair strategy, compared with primary repair, was associated with comparable overall survival with less frequent re-interventions after repair in young infants with PA/VSD. Lowering the inter-stage mortality after initial palliation by vigilant outpatient care and aggressive home monitoring may be the key to better surgical outcomes in this subset. Surgical outcomes of PA with VSD according to the surgical strategies. Patient 1 (birth weight: 2.7 kg) underwent primary Rastelli-type repair at post-natal day # 50 (body weight: 3.8 kg) using Contegra® 12 mm. The postoperative course was rocky, with long ventilatory support (10 days), ICU stay (14 days), and hospital stay (20 days). Cardiac CT scan at 9 months post-repair showed severe branch pulmonary artery stenosis, which necessitated LPA stenting at 12 months post-repair and RV-PA conduit replacement with extensive pulmonary artery reconstruction at 25 months post-repair. Patient 2 (birth weight: 2.5 kg) underwent RMBT at post-natal day #30 (body weight: 3.4 kg) using 4 mm PTFE vascular graft and staged Rastelli-type repair at post-natal 11 months using a hand-made Gore-Tex valved conduit (14 mm). No post-repair re-intervention has been performed. Cardiac CT scan at 90 months post-repair showed no branch pulmonary artery stenosis.CT computed tomography, ICU intensive care unit, LPA left pulmonary artery, PA pulmonary atresia, PTFE polytetrafluoroethylene, RMBT right modified Blalock-Taussig shunt, RV-PA right ventricle to pulmonary artery, VSD ventricular septal defect.

Home Oxygen Therapy for Children. An Official American Thoracic Society Clinical Practice Guideline

Background: Home oxygen therapy is often required in children with chronic respiratory conditions. This document provides an evidence-based clinical practice guideline on the implementation, monitoring, and discontinuation of home oxygen therapy for the pediatric population.

Methods: A multidisciplinary panel identified pertinent questions regarding home oxygen therapy in children, conducted systematic reviews of the relevant literature, and applied the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach to rate the quality of evidence and strength of clinical recommendations.

Results: After considering the panel’s confidence in the estimated effects, the balance of desirable (benefits) and undesirable (harms and burdens) consequences of treatment, patient values and preferences, cost, and feasibility, recommendations were developed for or against home oxygen therapy specific to pediatric lung and pulmonary vascular diseases.

Conclusions: Although home oxygen therapy is commonly required in the care of children, there is a striking lack of empirical evidence regarding implementation, monitoring, and discontinuation of supplemental oxygen therapy. The panel formulated and provided the rationale for clinical recommendations for home oxygen therapy based on scant empirical evidence, expert opinion, and clinical experience to aid clinicians in the management of these complex pediatric patients and identified important areas for future research.

The under reporting of recruitment strategies in research with children with life-threatening illnesses: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Researchers report difficulties in conducting research with children and young people with life-limiting conditions or life-threatening illnesses and their families. Recruitment is challenged by barriers including ethical, logistical and clinical considerations.

AIM

To explore how children and young people (aged 0-25 years) with life-limiting conditions or life-threatening illnesses and their families were identified, invited and consented to research published in the last 5 years.

DESIGN

Systematic review.

DATA SOURCES

MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Sciences Citation Index and SCOPUS were searched for original English language research published between 2009 and 2014, recruiting children and young people with life-limiting conditions or life-threatening illness and their families.

RESULTS

A total of 215 studies - 152 qualitative, 54 quantitative and 9 mixed methods - were included. Limited recruitment information but a range of strategies and difficulties were provided. The proportion of eligible participants from those screened could not be calculated in 80% of studies. Recruitment rates could not be calculated in 77%. A total of 31% of studies recruited less than 50% of eligible participants. Reasons given for non-invitation included missing clinical or contact data, or clinician judgements of participant unsuitability. Reasons for non-participation included lack of interest and participants' perceptions of potential burdens.

CONCLUSION

All stages of recruitment were under reported. Transparency in reporting of participant identification, invitation and consent is needed to enable researchers to understand research implications, bias risk and to whom results apply. Research is needed to explore why consenting participants decide to take part or not and their experiences of research recruitment.

"I was so worried about every drop of milk" - feeding problems at home are a significant concern for parents after major heart surgery in infancy

Increasing numbers of operations in small infants with complex congenital heart disease are being carried out in the UK year on year, with more surviving the initial operation. However, even after successful surgery some of these infants remain fragile when they are discharged home. The aim of the study was to elicit parents' experiences of caring for a child with complex needs after major congenital heart surgery. We conducted a qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews with parents of 20 children (aged <1-5 months at hospital discharge), who had undergone open heart surgery and subsequently died or been readmitted unexpectedly to intensive care following their initial discharge home. Feeding difficulties following discharge from the specialist surgical centre emerged as one of the most significant parental concerns spontaneously raised in interviews. For some parents the impact of feeding difficulties overshadowed any other cardiac concerns. Key themes centred around feeding management (particularly the practical challenges of feeding their baby), the emotional impact of feeding for parents and the support parents received or needed after discharge with respect to feeding. Caring for a child with congenital heart disease following surgery is demanding, with feeding difficulties being one of the most significant parent stressors. Local health professionals can be a good source of support for parents provided that they are well informed about the needs of a cardiac baby and have realistic expectations of weight gain. Specialist surgical centres should consider addressing issues of parental stress around feeding and weight gain prior to hospital discharge. © 2016 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The role of home monitoring in interstage management of infants following the Norwood procedure

Although outcomes for infants with complex single ventricle heart defects have steadily improved in recent decades, there is still a significant risk for mortality and morbidity during the interstage period between stage 1 Norwood hospitalization discharge and stage 2 palliation. Home monitoring programs, which involve parental surveillance of daily weight and oxygen saturations during the interstage period, have been shown to significantly improve survival rates. This article describes the potential risk factors or causes of interstage mortality and reviews the role of home monitoring in early detection and potential prevention of adverse outcomes.

Interstage mortality for functional single ventricle with heterotaxy syndrome: a retrospective study of the clinical experience of a single tertiary center

Background

In spite of improved survival after palliation for single ventricle, interstage mortality for a single ventricle with heterotaxy syndrome is unknown. The purpose of this study was to quantify interstage mortality and influence mortality risk factors.

Methods

From November 1994 until February 2012, all patients that had a functional single ventricle and heterotaxy syndrome who underwent palliative operations at our center were included. Patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and operative mortality cases were excluded. The factors that influenced interstage mortality were determined by multivariate Cox analysis.

Results

There were 16 patients with interstage mortality (41.0%), much higher than the non-heterotaxy group (vs. 11.3%, P = 0.001, OR = 5.478). The major presumptive causes of death were infection or sepsis (37.5%) and unknown sudden death (31.3%). When we compared the survival group and the mortality group with heterotaxy syndrome, Blalock-Taussig shunt as a 1st palliation is most common for both groups but there were more for the mortality group (81.2% vs. 52.2%), and there were more with bidirectional cavo-pulmonary shunt as a 1st palliation in the survival group (10 patients vs. 2 patients). The existence of pulmonary vein stenosis at initial diagnosis was more common for the mortality group. In multivariate Cox analysis, however, the duration of hospitalization at palliation, the duration of intensive care unit stay after palliation and the existence of pulmonary vein stenosis at diagnosis were significant risk factors.

Conclusion

Interstage mortality for a functional single ventricle with heterotaxy syndrome is significantly higher than for non-heterotaxy syndrome. Therefore more attention should be given to the prevention of interstage mortality in these patients with risk factors.