EASL-ERN position paper on liver involvement in patients with Fontan-type circulation

Fontan-type surgery is the final step in the sequential palliative surgical treatment of infants born with a univentricular heart. The resulting long-term haemodynamic changes promote liver damage, leading to Fontan-associated liver disease (FALD), in virtually all patients with Fontan circulation. Owing to the lack of a uniform definition of FALD and the competitive risk of other complications developed by Fontan patients, the impact of FALD on the prognosis of these patients is currently debatable. However, based on the increasing number of adult Fontan patients and recent research interest, the European Association for The Study of the Liver and the European Reference Network on Rare Liver Diseases thought a position paper timely. The aims of the current paper are: (1) to provide a clear definition and description of FALD, including clinical, analytical, radiological, haemodynamic, and histological features; (2) to facilitate guidance for staging the liver disease; and (3) to provide evidence- and experience-based recommendations for the management of different clinical scenarios.

Caring for the Aging Patient With Adult Congenital Heart Disease: A Review of Cardiac and Noncardiac Comorbidities

As the demographics of congenital heart disease (CHD) have shifted, there are now more adults living with CHD than children in North America. This presents unprecedented challenges as patients with CHD acquire noncardiac comorbidities and seek care for a variety of reasons, including noncardiac surgery and emergency department (ED) visits. CHD shifts from a one organ problem to a multisystem disease and requires a team of specialists to maintain high-quality longitudinal care. In this review, we summarize the challenges patients with CHD and their providers face as they age. We review the demographics of CHD and health care utilization. We examine the rates of noncardiac comorbidities and the current quality of care received by adult patients with CHD.

Perioperative Management of the Fontan Patient for Cardiac and Noncardiac Surgery

The Fontan circulation is the single-ventricle approach to surgical palliation of complex congenital heart disease wherein biventricular separation and function cannot be safely achieved. Incremental improvements in this surgical technique, along with improvements in the long-term medical management of these patients, have led to greater survival of these patients and a remarkably steady increase in the number of adults living with this unusual circulation and physiology. This has implications for healthcare providers who now have a greater chance of encountering Fontan patients during the course of their practice. This has particularly important implications for anesthesiologists because the effects of their interventions on the finely balanced Fontan circulation may be profound. The American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology recommend that, when possible, elective surgery should be performed in an adult congenital heart disease center, although this may not be feasible in the provision of true emergency care. This review article summarizes the pathophysiology pertinent to the provision of anesthesia in this complex patient group and describes important modifications to anesthetic technique and perioperative management.

Congenital heart disease-associated liver disease: a narrative review

Congenital heart diseases (CHD) can be associated with liver dysfunction. The cause for liver impairment can result out of a wide spectrum of different causes, including liver congestion, hypoxemia or low cardiac output. Fortunately, most CHD show a good long-term outcome from a cardiac perspective, but great attention should be paid on non-cardiac health problems that develop frequently in patients suffering from CHD. The treatment of liver dysfunction in CHD requires a close multidisciplinary management in a vulnerable patient collective. Unfortunately, structured recommendations on the management of liver dysfunction in patients with CHD are scarce. The objective of this review is to provide insights on the pathophysiology and etiologies of liver dysfunction as one of the most relevant non-cardiac problems related to CHD. Furthermore, we advise here on the management of liver disease in CHD with special attention on assessment of liver dysfunction, management of portal hypertension as well as on surveillance and management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A multidisciplinary perspective may help to optimize morbidity and mortality in the long-term course in these patients. However, as evidence is low in many aspects, we encourage the scientific community to perform prospective studies to gain more insights in the treatment of liver dysfunction in patients with CHD.

The Liver in Circulatory Disturbances

Liver diseases frequently coexist with heart disease. The causes of coexistent heart and liver disease are categorized into four groups: (1) heart disease affecting the liver, (2) liver disease affecting the heart, (3) cardiac and hepatic manifestations of a common cause, and (4) coexistent heart and liver disease with distinct causes. Discerning the cause of cardiac and liver dysfunction is important in the management of these conditions, particularly when considering surgical intervention or heart or liver transplantation.

Impact of Non-cardiac Comorbidities in Adults with Congenital Heart Disease: Management of Multisystem Complications

The prevalence and impact of non-cardiac comorbidities in adult patients with congenital heart disease increase over time, and these complications are often specifically a consequence of the long-term altered cardiovascular physiology or sequelae of previous therapies. For the ACHD patient admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) for either surgical or medical treatment, an assessment of the burden of multisystem disease, as well as an understanding of the underlying cardiovascular pathophysiology, is essential for optimal management of these complex patients. This chapter takes an organ-system-based approach to reviewing common comorbidities in the ACHD patient, focusing on conditions that are directly related to ACHD status and may significantly impact ICU care.

Building an Adult Congenital Heart Program: Critical Components and Important Allies

Purpose of the Review

The purpose of this review is to illustrate specific challenges and opportunities in the building of an adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) program and to highlight critical components and important allies.

Recent Findings

With more than 1.4 million adults with congenital heart disease in the USA alone, access to specialized, compassionate, high-quality comprehensive care requires a shift toward more aggressive expansion of ACHD care, especially in the context of sparse ACHD provider representation in the vast majority of adult medical centers.

Summary

The effective build of an ACHD program requires measured escalation in management of ACHD complexity matched with cultivation of key resources and clinical services ranging from congenital cardiac surgery and interventional cardiology to acquired heart disease as well as partnerships with non-cardiac specialists. By reframing ACHD care as a shared goal between patients, providers, hospitals, pharmaceutical and device industry, and payers, a potent business model can be built around the developing ACHD program to facilitate acquisition of these key resources.

Prevalence of HCV Infection in Adults with Congenital Heart Disease and Treatment with Direct Antiviral Agents

OBJECTIVES

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection affects >3% of the US population, which over time can lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The lack of a reliable screening method for HCV before 1992 resulted in a higher prevalence of the virus in adults with congenital heart disease who underwent corrective surgery that required blood transfusions. Direct-acting antiviral agents such as sofosbuvir/ledipasvir have significantly increased the efficacy of HCV therapy, although use of these medications in adults with congenital heart disease has not been described.

METHODS

Ours was a retrospective study of 188 adults with congenital heart conditions who had cardiac surgery before 1992. These patients were screened for HCV using HCV antibody followed by HCV RNA if the screening test was positive.

RESULTS

Of the 188 adults, 116 (43% male patients, 24-70 years) were screened for the HCV antibody, demonstrating that 104 individuals were negative and 12 subjects were positive for the virus. Subsequently, further testing for the presence of HCV demonstrated 11 of 12 were infected, with an overall prevalence of 9.5%. Five individuals chose to be treated with sofosbuvir/ledipasvir and 5 of 5 have successfully cleared the virus and are considered cured.

CONCLUSIONS

Adults with congenital heart disease who underwent cardiac surgery before 1992 warrant being screened for HCV, and, if testing positive, may be considered for therapy using direct-acting antiviral agents with close monitoring for cardiac complications.

Diagnosis and Management of Noncardiac Complications in Adults With Congenital Heart Disease: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Life expectancy and quality of life for those born with congenital heart disease (CHD) have greatly improved over the past 3 decades. While representing a great advance for these patients, who have been able to move from childhood to successful adult lives in increasing numbers, this development has resulted in an epidemiological shift and a generation of patients who are at risk of developing chronic multisystem disease in adulthood. Noncardiac complications significantly contribute to the morbidity and mortality of adults with CHD. Reduced survival has been documented in patients with CHD with renal dysfunction, restrictive lung disease, anemia, and cirrhosis. Furthermore, as this population ages, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and its risk factors are becoming increasingly prevalent. Disorders of psychosocial and cognitive development are key factors affecting the quality of life of these individuals. It is incumbent on physicians who care for patients with CHD to be mindful of the effects that disease of organs other than the heart may have on the well-being of adults with CHD. Further research is needed to understand how these noncardiac complications may affect the long-term outcome in these patients and what modifiable factors can be targeted for preventive intervention.

Fontan Liver Disease: Review of an Emerging Epidemic and Management Options

OPINION STATEMENT

Adults with complex congenital heart disease that resulted in a Fontan procedure frequently experience late cardiac failure. Increasingly, liver disease is recognized as an important complication of single-ventricle anatomy and Fontan physiology; however, there is no consensus regarding liver evaluation in this population. Here, we review what is known about liver disease in this unique group and propose screening and prevention measures. We also review controversial treatment areas including assist devices and transplantation, with a review of outcomes in isolated heart and combined heart-liver transplant.