Management of pulmonary vascular disease associated with congenital left-to-right shunts: A single-center experience

OBJECTIVE

The study objective was to describe the course and outcomes of children under 18 years of age, with left-to-right shunts and pulmonary arterial hypertension undergoing 1 of 2 management approaches: pulmonary arterial hypertension treatment before left-to-right shunt repair (Treat First) and left-to-right shunt repair first with or without subsequent pulmonary arterial hypertension treatment (Repair First).

METHODS

We performed a retrospective single-center study, conducted from September 2015 to September 2021, of children with left-to-right shunts and pulmonary arterial hypertension (defined as indexed pulmonary vascular resistance ≥ 4 Wood units [WU]∗m2) but without Eisenmenger physiology. Patient characteristics, longitudinal hemodynamics data, pulmonary arterial hypertension management, left-to-right shunt repair, and outcomes were reviewed.

RESULTS

Of 768 patients evaluated for left-to-right shunt closure, 51 (6.8%) had left-to-right shunts associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension (median age 1.1 [0.37-5] years, median indexed pulmonary vascular resistance 6 [5.2-8.7] WU∗m2). In the "Treat First" group (n = 33, 65%), 27 patients (82%) underwent left-to-right shunt closure and 6 patients (18%) did not respond to pulmonary arterial hypertension therapy and did not undergo left-to-right shunt closure. In the "Repair First" group (n = 18, 35%), 12 patients (67%) received pulmonary arterial hypertension therapy and 6 patients (33%) did not. Mortality rates were 6% in the "Treat First" group and 11% in "Repair First" group with follow-ups of 3.4 and 2.5 years, respectively. After left-to-right shunt closure, there was no significant change in indexed pulmonary vascular resistance over a median follow-up of 2 years after surgery (P = .77).

CONCLUSIONS

In children with left-to-right shunts and associated pulmonary arterial hypertension, treatment with pulmonary arterial hypertension-targeted therapy before defect repair does not appear to endanger the subjects and may have some benefit. The response to pulmonary arterial hypertension-targeted therapy before shunt closure persists 2 to 3 years postclosure, providing valuable insights into the long-term management of these patients.

Operability of atrial septal defect with borderline pulmonary vascular resistance index: A study in developing country

Background

Pulmonary arterial hypertension secondary to atrial septal defect (ASD) is an important determinant of morbidity and mortality in defect closure. We aimed to compare perioperative outcome between preoperative borderline and low pulmonary vascular resistance index (≥4 WU.m2 and <4 WU.m2, respectively) in surgical closure of secundum atrial septal defect with concomitant pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Methods and results

This was a single-center retrospective cohort study between January 2015 and January 2020. We classified patients with low and borderline PVRI who underwent ASD closure and recorded the perioperative outcomes.

Results

We analyzed a total of 183 patients with atrial septal defect and pulmonary arterial hypertension; 92 patients with borderline PVRI and 91 patients with low PVRI. Borderline pulmonary vascular resistance index was not associated with increased risk of postoperative mortality (p = 0.621; OR0.48, 95% CI 0.04–5.48), but associated with higher risk of overall morbidity in bivariate analysis (p = 0.002; OR3.28, 95% CI 1.5–6.72). Multivariate analysis showed positive association of borderline pulmonary vascular resistance index (p = 0.045; OR2.63, 95% CI 1.02–6.77) and preoperative tricuspid valve gradient ≥64 mmHg (p = 0.034; OR2.77, 95% CI 1.08–7.13) with overall morbidity.

Conclusion

There is no difference in incidence of in-hospital mortality between preoperative borderline and low pulmonary vascular resistance index patients. However, preoperative borderline pulmonary vascular resistance index and tricuspid valve gradient ≥64 mmHg are associated with increased overall morbidity after surgical closure in secundum atrial septal defect patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Clinical Outcome of Closure of a Small Atrial Septal Defect in a Patient with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

The closure of small/coincidental atrial septal defects (ASDs) in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) has been described in recent major guidelines as useless or even contraindicated. We confirm the effectiveness of "Treat and Repair" for ASD closure through one patient diagnosed with idiopathic PAH with small ASD, under careful observation with right heart catheterization and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. The clinical decision concerning the closure of ASD with PAH should be made not only by referring to the guidelines but also by evaluating the benefits and risks specific to that case.

Transcatheter closure for patent ductus arteriosus in patients with Eisenmenger syndrome: to do or not?

BACKGROUND

Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) complicated by Eisenmenger syndrome (ES) remains to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Giving increasing evidences of benefit from targeted therapies, ES patients once thought to be inoperable may have increasing options for management. This study aims to explore whether PDA in patients with ES can be treated with transcatheter closure (TCC).

METHODS

Between August 2014 and July 2016, four of fifteen PDA-ES patients whose Qp/Qs improved significantly and Qp/Qs > 1.5 after acute vasodilator testing with 100% oxygen were selected to receive TCC and pulmonary vasodilator therapy. PAH-targeted drugs were prescribed before and after occlusion for all. Trial occlusion was performed before permanent closure.

RESULTS

The first TCC failed after initiation of PAH-targeted drugs for 6 months in four patients. After the medication was adjusted and extended to 12 months, TCC was performed for all without hemodynamic intolerances during perioperative period. Pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) was significantly decreased (≥ 40%) immediately after TCC. During a mean follow-up of 48 ± 14.70 months, there were a further decrease of PASPs in two patients, the other two showed improved pulmonary vascular resistance, WHO functional class and six-minute walking distance despite deteriorated PASP.

CONCLUSION

Some selected PDA-ES patients might benefit from TCC and combined PAH-targeted drugs play a crucial role.

"Treat-to-close": Non-repairable ASD-PAH in the adult: Results from the North American ASD-PAH (NAAP) Multicenter Registry

BACKGROUND

Adults presenting with an unrepaired atrial septal defect and pulmonary arterial hypertension (ASD-PAH) are typically classified as "correctable" or "non-correctable". The use of directed PAH medical therapy in non-correctable ASD-PAH leading to favorable closure candidacy, repair status and long-term follow-up is not well studied. We therefore sought to characterize response to PAH targeted therapy in 'non-correctable' ASD-PAH.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Nine North American tertiary care centers submitted retrospective data from adults with unrepaired ASD-PAH that did not meet recommendations for repair at initial presentation (1996-2017). Sixty-nine patients (women 51(74%), 40 ± 15 years, mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPA) 51 ± 13 mm Hg, pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) 8.7 ± 4.9 Wood units, Qp:Qs 1.6 ± 0.4) were enrolled. All patients were prescribed PAH targeted therapy and late shunt repair occurred in 19(28%) (Women 15(29%) vs. Men 4(22%), p = 0.6). At late follow-up (4.4 ± 2.9 years) 6-minute walk test distance (6MWTD) was significantly better in the group that underwent repair (486 ± 89 m vs. 375 ± 139 m, p < 0.05). Transthoracic echo showed significant improvement in right ventricular (RV) function (severe dysfunction in repaired 8(40%) vs. unrepaired groups 35(69%), p < 0.05). Divergent survival curves suggest that with larger studies and more follow-up, differences in survival between repaired and unrepaired groups may be important. (repaired: 17(94%) vs. unrepaired: 32(81%), p = 0.18).

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first and largest multicenter study evaluating the "treat-to-close" approach in non-correctable ASD-PAH. Our new data supports further study of this strategy in patients who have reversibility of PAH in response to targeted therapy. We demonstrate that in the carefully selected patient with non-correctable ASD-PAH, successful shunt repair is possible if post-therapy PVR is ≤6.5 Wood units. Patients who underwent repair had improved RV function following PAH targeted therapy. Divergent survival curves suggest that with further study, defect repair may affect medium-term to late survival.

Treat-and-repair strategy is a feasible therapeutic choice in adult patients with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with a ventricular septal defect: case series

Introduction

Recent advances in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)-specific drugs have dramatically changed the therapeutic strategy for PAH. A strategy that includes 'treatment' with PAH-specific drugs initially and then 'repair' by closure of the cardiac defect (i.e. 'treat and repair') was devised, and has been attempted, in patients with PAH associated with a cardiac defect.

Case presentation

We present three cases of severe PAH associated with a ventricular septal defect (VSD) in adult patients who were initially treated with PAH-specific drugs followed by VSD closure. Two of the patients were treated with a combination of an endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA), phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor, and intravenous prostacyclin before VSD closure. The third patient was treated with an ERA and pulmonary artery banding before VSD closure. After 12 months of anti-PAH treatment, the pulmonary vascular resistance index and the ratio of the pulmonary vascular index to the systemic vascular resistance index decreased to levels that allowed VSD closure. At the mid- and long-term follow-up measurements after surgical closure of the VSD, the mean pulmonary artery pressure had markedly decreased.

Discussion

Our case series suggests that the treat-and-repair strategy is a promising approach for adult patients with severe PAH associated with VSD.