The impact of damaging epilepsy and cardiac genetic variant burden in sudden death in the young

BACKGROUND

Sudden unexpected death in children is a tragic event. Understanding the genetics of sudden death in the young (SDY) enables family counseling and cascade screening. The objective of this study was to characterize genetic variation in an SDY cohort using whole genome sequencing.

METHODS

The SDY Case Registry is a National Institutes of Health/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveillance effort to discern the prevalence, causes, and risk factors for SDY. The SDY Case Registry prospectively collected clinical data and DNA biospecimens from SDY cases < 20 years of age. SDY cases were collected from medical examiner and coroner offices spanning 13 US jurisdictions from 2015 to 2019. The cohort included 211 children (median age 0.33 year; range 0-20 years), determined to have died suddenly and unexpectedly and from whom DNA biospecimens for DNA extractions and next-of-kin consent were ascertained. A control cohort consisted of 211 randomly sampled, sex- and ancestry-matched individuals from the 1000 Genomes Project. Genetic variation was evaluated in epilepsy, cardiomyopathy, and arrhythmia genes in the SDY and control cohorts. American College of Medical Genetics/Genomics guidelines were used to classify variants as pathogenic or likely pathogenic. Additionally, pathogenic and likely pathogenic genetic variation was identified using a Bayesian-based artificial intelligence (AI) tool.

RESULTS

The SDY cohort was 43% European, 29% African, 3% Asian, 16% Hispanic, and 9% with mixed ancestries and 39% female. Six percent of the cohort was found to harbor a pathogenic or likely pathogenic genetic variant in an epilepsy, cardiomyopathy, or arrhythmia gene. The genomes of SDY cases, but not controls, were enriched for rare, potentially damaging variants in epilepsy, cardiomyopathy, and arrhythmia-related genes. A greater number of rare epilepsy genetic variants correlated with younger age at death.

CONCLUSIONS

While damaging cardiomyopathy and arrhythmia genes are recognized contributors to SDY, we also observed an enrichment in epilepsy-related genes in the SDY cohort and a correlation between rare epilepsy variation and younger age at death. These findings emphasize the importance of considering epilepsy genes when evaluating SDY.

SCMR expert consensus statement for cardiovascular magnetic resonance of patients with a cardiac implantable electronic device

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is a proven imaging modality for informing diagnosis and prognosis, guiding therapeutic decisions, and risk stratifying surgical intervention. Patients with a cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) would be expected to derive particular benefit from CMR given high prevalence of cardiomyopathy and arrhythmia. While several guidelines have been published over the last 16 years, it is important to recognize that both the CIED and CMR technologies, as well as our knowledge in MR safety, have evolved rapidly during that period. Given increasing utilization of CIED over the past decades, there is an unmet need to establish a consensus statement that integrates latest evidence concerning MR safety and CIED and CMR technologies. While experienced centers currently perform CMR in CIED patients, broad availability of CMR in this population is lacking, partially due to limited availability of resources for programming devices and appropriate monitoring, but also related to knowledge gaps regarding the risk-benefit ratio of CMR in this growing population. To address the knowledge gaps, this SCMR Expert Consensus Statement integrates consensus guidelines, primary data, and opinions from experts across disparate fields towards the shared goal of informing evidenced-based decision-making regarding the risk-benefit ratio of CMR for patients with CIEDs.

Similar success rate in proximal and distal colonic stent placement: a retrospective multi-center study

OBJECTIVES

Stenting of malignant colon obstruction is used as a bridge to surgery or as an alternative to surgical colostomy in a palliative setting. Current guidelines recommend stent placement as the first line of treatment in colonic obstruction in both curative and palliative settings. However, it is unclear whether the location of the malignant obstruction influences the outcome of the stenting procedure. The goal of this study was to compare the outcomes of colonic stents between proximal and distal colonic strictures with regard to technical and clinical success and the risk of adverse events.

METHODS

A multi-center retrospective cohort was composed of patients who underwent a colonic stent placement at two tertiary hospitals between 2013 and 2021. The technical and clinical outcome, stent type used, duration of post-procedural hospital stay and complications were noted.

RESULTS

A total of 148 patients who underwent colonic stenting were identified. 41 patients underwent stent placement in the proximal colon and 107 patients underwent a distal stent placement. There was no difference in technical success (100% vs 96.3%, p = 0.209), clinical success (97.0% vs 89.6%, p = 0.199) or complications (24.4% vs 37.4%, p = 0,135).

CONCLUSION

Technical success and clinical success rates are high and do not differ between stent locations. There is no significant difference in complication rates between proximal and distal colonic stents.

Multicenter retrospective evaluation of magnetic resonance imaging in pediatric and congenital heart disease patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices

BACKGROUND

Guidelines addressing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) provide algorithms for imaging pediatric and congenital heart disease (CHD) patients. Guideline acceptance varies by institution. Guidelines also do not support routine MRI scans in patients with epicardial or abandoned leads, common in pediatric and CHD patients.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of MRI-related complications in pediatric and CHD patients with CIEDs, including epicardial and/or abandoned leads.

METHODS

A multicenter retrospective review included patients with CIEDs who underwent any MRI between 2007 and 2022 at congenital cardiac centers. The primary outcome was any patient adverse event or clinically significant CIED change after MRI, defined as pacing lead capture threshold increase >0.5 V with output change, P- or R- wave amplitude decrease >50% with sensitivity change, or impedance change >50%.

RESULTS

Across 14 institutions, 314 patients (median age 18.8 [1.3; 31.4] years) underwent 389 MRIs. There were 288 pacemakers (74%) and 87 implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (22%); 52% contained epicardial leads, and 14 (4%) were abandoned leads only. Symptoms or CIED changes occurred in 4.9% of MRI scans (6.1% of patients). On 9 occasions (2%), warmth or pain occurred. Pacing capture threshold or lead impedance changes occurred in 1.4% and 2.0% of CIEDs post-MRI and at follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Our data provide evidence that MRIs can be performed in pediatric and CHD patients with CIEDs, including non-MRI-conditional CIEDs and epicardial and/or abandoned leads, with rare minor symptoms or CIED changes but no other complications.

Modifying the trajectory of epicardial leads can substantially reduce MRI-induced RF heating in pediatric patients with a cardiac implantable electronic device at 1.5T

PURPOSE

After epicardial cardiac implantable electronic devices are implanted in pediatric patients, they become ineligible to receive MRI exams due to an elevated risk of RF heating. We investigated whether simple modifications in the trajectories of epicardial leads could substantially and reliably reduce RF heating during MRI at 1.5 T, with benefits extending to abandoned leads.

METHODS

Electromagnetic simulations were performed to assess RF heating of two common 35-cm epicardial lead trajectories exhibiting different degrees of coupling with MRI incident electric fields. Experiments in anthropomorphic phantoms implanted with commercial cardiac implantable electronic devices confirmed the findings. Both electromagnetic simulations and experimental measurements were performed using head-first and feet-first positioning and various landmarks. Transfer function approach was used to assess the performance of suggested modifications in realistic body models.

RESULTS

Simulations (head-first, chest landmark) of a 35-cm epicardial lead with a trajectory where the excess length of the lead was looped and placed on the inferior surface of the heart showed an 87-fold reduction in the 0.1 g-averaged specific absorption rate compared with the lead where the excess length was looped on the anterior surface. Repeated experiments with a commercial epicardial device confirmed this. For fully implanted systems following low-specific absorption rate trajectories, there was a 16-fold reduction in the average temperature rise and a 28-fold reduction for abandoned leads. The transfer function method predicted a 7-fold reduction in the RF heating in 336 realistic scenarios.

CONCLUSION

Surgical modification of epicardial lead trajectory can substantially reduce RF heating at 1.5 T, with benefits extending to abandoned leads.

Prediction of Sudden Death Risk in Patients with Congenital Heart Diseases

Risk stratification for sudden death should be discussed with patients with congenital heart disease at each stage of personal and cardiac development. For most patients, risk is low through teenage years and the critical factors to consider are anatomy, ventricular function, and symptoms. By adulthood, these are supplemented by screening for atrial arrhythmias, ventricular arrhythmias, and pulmonary hypertension. Therapies include medication, ablation, and defibrillator placement.

Clinical presentation of calmodulin mutations: the International Calmodulinopathy Registry

AIMS

Calmodulinopathy due to mutations in any of the three CALM genes (CALM1-3) causes life-threatening arrhythmia syndromes, especially in young individuals. The International Calmodulinopathy Registry (ICalmR) aims to define and link the increasing complexity of the clinical presentation to the underlying molecular mechanisms.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The ICalmR is an international, collaborative, observational study, assembling and analysing clinical and genetic data on CALM-positive patients. The ICalmR has enrolled 140 subjects (median age 10.8 years [interquartile range 5-19]), 97 index cases and 43 family members. CALM-LQTS and CALM-CPVT are the prevalent phenotypes. Primary neurological manifestations, unrelated to post-anoxic sequelae, manifested in 20 patients. Calmodulinopathy remains associated with a high arrhythmic event rate (symptomatic patients, n = 103, 74%). However, compared with the original 2019 cohort, there was a reduced frequency and severity of all cardiac events (61% vs. 85%; P = .001) and sudden death (9% vs. 27%; P = .008). Data on therapy do not allow definitive recommendations. Cardiac structural abnormalities, either cardiomyopathy or congenital heart defects, are present in 30% of patients, mainly CALM-LQTS, and lethal cases of heart failure have occurred. The number of familial cases and of families with strikingly different phenotypes is increasing.

CONCLUSION

Calmodulinopathy has pleiotropic presentations, from channelopathy to syndromic forms. Clinical severity ranges from the early onset of life-threatening arrhythmias to the absence of symptoms, and the percentage of milder and familial forms is increasing. There are no hard data to guide therapy, and current management includes pharmacological and surgical antiadrenergic interventions with sodium channel blockers often accompanied by an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator.

Age Matters: A Comparative Study of RF Heating of Epicardial and Endocardial Electronic Devices in Pediatric and Adult Phantoms during Cardiothoracic MRI

This study focused on the potential risks of radiofrequency-induced heating of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) in children and adults with epicardial and endocardial leads of varying lengths during cardiothoracic MRI scans. Infants and young children are the primary recipients of epicardial CIEDs, though the devices have not been approved as MR conditional by the FDA due to limited data, leading to pediatric hospitals either refusing the MRI service to most pediatric CIED patients or adopting a scan-all strategy based on results from adult studies. The study argues that risk-benefit decisions should be made on an individual basis. We used 120 clinically relevant epicardial and endocardial device configurations in adult and pediatric anthropomorphic phantoms to determine the temperature rise during RF exposure at 1.5 T. The results showed that there was significantly higher RF heating of epicardial leads than endocardial leads in the pediatric phantom, but not in the adult phantom. Additionally, body size and lead length significantly affected RF heating, with RF heating up to 12 °C observed in models based on younger children with short epicardial leads. The study provides evidence-based knowledge on RF-induced heating of CIEDs and highlights the importance of making individual risk-benefit decisions when assessing the potential risks of MRI scans in pediatric CIED patients.

Trans-2,3-enoyl-CoA reductase-like-related catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia with regular ventricular tachycardia and response to flecainide

INTRODUCTION

We describe a unique case of TECRL-CPVT presented with cardiac arrest.

METHODS

Post resuscitation, the patient developed regular ventricular tachycardia featuring a left purkinje system morphology.

RESULTS

There was clear suppression of arrhythmia with the addition of flecainide and isolated ventricular ectopy causing secondary T-wave changes.

CONCLUSION

A high index of suspicion was required to eventually make the diagnosis through whole exome sequencing.

RF-induced heating of capped and uncapped abandoned epicardial leads during MRI at 1.5 T and 3 T

There is a paucity of data regarding the safety of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with abandoned epicardial leads. Few studies have reported temperature rises up to 76 °C during MRI at 1.5 T in gel phantoms implanted with epicardial leads; however, lead trajectories used in these experiments were not clinically relevant. This work reports patient-specific RF heating of both capped and uncapped abandoned epicardial lead configurations during MRI at both 1.5 T and 3 T field strengths. We found that leads routed along realistic, patient-derived trajectories generated substantially lower RF heating than the previously reported worst-case phantom experiments. We also found that MRI at the head imaging landmark leads to substantially lower RF heating compared to MRI at the chest or abdomen landmarks at both 1.5 T and 3 T. Our results suggest that patients with abandoned epicardial leads may safely undergo MRI for head imaging, but caution is warranted during chest and abdominal imaging.Clinical Relevance- Patients with abandoned epicardial leads may safely undergo MRI for head imaging, but caution is warranted during chest and abdominal imaging.

Natural history of TANGO2 deficiency disorder: Baseline assessment of 73 patients

PURPOSE

TANGO2 deficiency disorder (TDD), an autosomal recessive disease first reported in 2016, is characterized by neurodevelopmental delay, seizures, intermittent ataxia, hypothyroidism, and life-threatening metabolic and cardiac crises. The purpose of this study was to define the natural history of TDD.

METHODS

Data were collected from an ongoing natural history study of patients with TDD enrolled between February 2019 and May 2022. Data were obtained through phone or video based parent interviews and medical record review.

RESULTS

Data were collected from 73 patients (59% male) from 57 unrelated families living in 16 different countries. The median age of participants at the time of data collection was 9.0 years (interquartile range = 5.3-15.9 years, range = fetal to 31.8 years). A total of 24 different TANGO2 alleles were observed. Patients showed normal development in early infancy, with progressive delay in developmental milestones thereafter. Symptoms included ataxia, dystonia, and speech difficulties, typically starting between the ages of 1 to 3 years. A total of 46/71 (65%) patients suffered metabolic crises, and of those, 30 (65%) developed cardiac crises. Metabolic crises were significantly decreased after the initiation of B-complex or multivitamin supplementation.

CONCLUSION

We provide the most comprehensive review of natural history of TDD and important observational data suggesting that B-complex or multivitamins may prevent metabolic crises.

The impact of damaging epilepsy and cardiac genetic variant burden in sudden death in the young

Background

Sudden unexpected death in children is a tragic event. Understanding the genetics of sudden death in the young (SDY) enables family counseling and cascade screening. The objective of this study was to characterize genetic variation in an SDY cohort using whole genome sequencing.

Methods

The SDY Case Registry is a National Institutes of Health/Centers for Disease Control surveillance effort to discern the prevalence, causes, and risk factors for SDY. The SDY Case Registry prospectively collected clinical data and DNA biospecimens from SDY cases <20 years of age. SDY cases were collected from medical examiner and coroner offices spanning 13 US jurisdictions from 2015-2019. The cohort included 211 children (mean age 1 year; range 0-20 years), determined to have died suddenly and unexpectedly and in whom DNA biospecimens and next-of-kin consent were ascertained. A control cohort consisted of 211 randomly sampled, sex-and ancestry-matched individuals from the 1000 Genomes Project. Genetic variation was evaluated in epilepsy, cardiomyopathy and arrhythmia genes in the SDY and control cohorts. American College of Medical Genetics/Genomics guidelines were used to classify variants as pathogenic or likely pathogenic. Additionally, genetic variation predicted to be damaging was identified using a Bayesian-based artificial intelligence (AI) tool.

Results

The SDY cohort was 42% European, 30% African, 17% Hispanic, and 11% with mixed ancestries, and 39% female. Six percent of the cohort was found to harbor a pathogenic or likely pathogenic genetic variant in an epilepsy, cardiomyopathy or arrhythmia gene. The genomes of SDY cases, but not controls, were enriched for rare, damaging variants in epilepsy, cardiomyopathy and arrhythmia-related genes. A greater number of rare epilepsy genetic variants correlated with younger age at death.

Conclusions

While damaging cardiomyopathy and arrhythmia genes are recognized contributors to SDY, we also observed an enrichment in epilepsy-related genes in the SDY cohort, and a correlation between rare epilepsy variation and younger age at death. These findings emphasize the importance of considering epilepsy genes when evaluating SDY.

Biventricular Assist Device Support for Intractable Arrhythmias From Histiocytoid Cardiomyopathy

Histiocytoid cardiomyopathy (HICMP) is a rare mitochondrial cardiomyopathy associated with recurrent life-threatening arrhythmias and variable degrees of systolic dysfunction. Successful heart transplantation for HICMP has been described, but there has been no published experience with biventricular assist device (BiVAD) support for intractable arrhythmias in HICMP. We report a 13 month old girl with left ventricular noncompaction and preserved systolic function who presented in cardiogenic shock secondary to incessant ventricular arrhythmias. After failed attempts at chemical and electrical cardioversion, she underwent BiVAD implantation as bridge to transplantation. Her BiVAD course was complicated by mechanical inflow obstruction during sinus rhythm, necessitating left-sided cannulation revision from an apical to atrial inflow cannula. This maneuver resolved the obstruction and the patient was transitioned to Berlin EXCOR (Berlin Heart Inc, The Woodlands, TX) BiVADs. On Berlin pumps, she had intermittent pauses (no fill/no eject) while in sinus rhythm, felt to be due to competition from intrinsic ejection. Despite these pauses, the patient experienced an uneventful remainder of her BiVAD course (205 days total) with minimal fibrin deposition and no device-related complications. BiVAD can support pediatric patients with hemodynamically significant arrhythmias to transplantation. Atrial cannulation strategy may be preferred in cases of preserved systolic function, ventricular noncompaction, and frequent rhythm changes.

Cardiac crises: Cardiac arrhythmias and cardiomyopathy during TANGO2 deficiency related metabolic crises

BACKGROUND

TANGO2 deficiency disorder (TDD) is an autosomal recessive disease associated with metabolic crisis, lethal cardiac arrhythmias, and cardiomyopathy. Data regarding treatment, management, and outcomes of cardiac manifestations of TDD are lacking.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to describe TDD-related cardiac crises.

METHODS

Retrospective multicenter chart review was made of TDD patients admitted with cardiac crises, defined as development of ventricular tachycardia (VT), cardiomyopathy, or cardiac arrest during metabolic crises.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven children were admitted for 43 cardiac crises (median age 6.4 years; interquartile range [IQR] 2.4-9.8 years) at 14 centers. During crisis, QTc prolongation occurred in all (median 547 ms; IQR 504-600 ms) and a type I Brugada pattern in 8 (26%). Arrhythmias included VT in 21 (78%), supraventricular tachycardia in 3 (11%), and heart block in 1 (4%). Nineteen patients (70%) developed cardiomyopathy, and 20 (74%) experienced a cardiac arrest. There were 10 deaths (37%), 6 related to arrhythmias. In 5 patients, recalcitrant VT occurred despite use of antiarrhythmic drugs. In 6 patients, arrhythmias were controlled after extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support; 5 of these patients survived. Among 10 patients who survived VT without ECMO, successful treatment included intravenous magnesium, isoproterenol, and atrial pacing in multiple cases and verapamil in 1 patient. Initiation of feeds seemed to decrease VT events.

CONCLUSION

TDD-related cardiac crises are associated with a high risk of arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy, cardiac arrest, and death. Although further studies are needed, early recognition and appropriate treatment are critical. Acutely, intravenous magnesium, isoproterenol, atrial pacing, and ECMO as a last resort seem to be the best current treatment options, and early initiation of feeds may prevent VT events.

Interpersonal comparison among caregivers of children with asthma

Objective: We examined the extent to which caregivers of children with asthma used interpersonal comparisons-a novel comparison process that parallels social comparison and temporal comparison-to form judgments about their child. Methods & Measures: Using semi-structured interviews adapted from the McGill Illness Narrative Interview, we examined the interpersonal comparisons that caregivers of a child with asthma (n = 41) made regarding their child. Results: Interpersonal comparisons influenced caregiver thoughts, feelings, and behavior. They helped caregivers distinguish asthma from other breathing problems, evaluate the severity of the asthma, and understand their child's experience. However, they also created uncertainty by highlighting the complex, unpredictable nature of asthma. Interpersonal comparisons were a source of gratitude and hope, but also worry and frustration. Finally, interpersonal comparisons influenced caregivers' decisions and actions, resulting in decisions that aligned with and, at times, ran counter to biomedical models of asthma care. In some instances, caregivers used interpersonal comparisons to motivate their child's behavior. Conclusion: The interpersonal comparisons served as a source of information for caregivers trying to understand and manage their child's asthma. Investigating these comparisons also expands how we think about other comparison theories.

A comparative study of MRI-induced RF heating in pediatric and adult populations with epicardial and endocardial implantable electronic devices

Patients with congenital heart defects, inherited arrhythmia syndromes, and congenital disorders of cardiac conduction often receive a cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED). At least 75% of patients with CIEDs will need magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during their lifetime. In 2011, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the first MR-conditional CIEDs for patients with endocardial systems, in which leads are passed through the vein and affixed to the endocardium. The majority of children, however, receive an epicardial CIED, where leads are directly sewn to the epicardium. Unfortunately, an epicardial CIED is a relative contraindication to MRI due to the unknown risk of RF heating. In this work, we performed anthropomorphic phantom experiments to investigate differences in RF heating between endocardial and epicardial leads in both pediatric and adult-sized phantoms, where adult endocardial CIED was the control. Clinical Relevance-This work provides a quantitative comparison of MRI RF heating of epicardial and endocardial leads in pediatric and adult populations.

The Position and Orientation of the Pulse Generator Affects MRI RF Heating of Epicardial Leads in Children

Infants and children with congenital heart defects often receive a cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED). Because transvenous access to the heart is difficult in patients with small veins, the majority of young children receive epicardial CIEDs. Unfortunately, however, once an epicardial CIED is placed, patients are no longer eligible to receive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exams due to the unknown risk of MRI-induced radiofrequency (RF) heating of the device. Although many studies have assessed the role of device configuration in RF heating of endocardial CIEDs in adults, such case for epicardial devices in pediatric patients is relatively unexplored. In this study, we evaluated the variation in RF heating of an epicardial lead due to changes in the lateral position and orientation of the implantable pulse generator (IPG). We found that changing the orientation and position of the IPG resulted in a five-fold variation in the RF heating at the lead's tip. Maximum heating was observed when the IPG was moved to a left lateral abdominal position of patient, and minimum heating was observed when the IPG was positioned directly under the heart. Clinical Relevance- This study examines the role of device configuration on MRI-induced RF heating of an epicardial CIED in a pediatric phantom. Results could help pediatric cardiac surgeons to modify device implantation to reduce future risks of MRI in patients.

Family Screening After Sudden Death in a Population-Based Study of Children

In a US population-based registry of sudden death in the young, this study performed familial evaluation of surviving relatives.

Practitioners' Confidence and Desires for Education in Cardiovascular and Sudden Cardiac Death Genetics

Background

Educating cardiologists and health care professionals about cardiovascular genetics and genetic testing is essential to improving diagnosis and management of patients with inherited cardiomyopathies and arrhythmias and those at higher risk for sudden cardiac death. The aim of this study was to understand cardiology and electrophysiology practitioners’ current practices, confidence, and knowledge surrounding genetic testing in cardiology and desired topics for an educational program.

Methods and Results

A one‐time survey was administered through purposive email solicitation to 131 cardiology practitioners in the United States. Of these, 107 self‐identified as nongenetic practitioners. Over three quarters of nongenetic practitioners reported that they refer patients to genetic providers to discuss cardiovascular genetic tests (n=82; 76.6%). More than half of nongenetic practitioners reported that they were not confident about the types of cardiovascular genetic testing available (n=60; 56%) and/or in ordering appropriate cardiovascular genetic tests (n=66; 62%). In addition, 45% (n=22) of nongenetic practitioners did not feel confident making cardiology treatment recommendations based on genetic test results. Among all providers, the most desired topics for an educational program were risk assessment (94%) and management of inherited cardiac conditions based on guidelines (91%).

Conclusions

This study emphasizes the importance of access to genetics services in the cardiology field and the need for addressing the identified deficit in confidence and knowledge about cardiogenetics and genetic testing among nongenetic providers. Additional research is needed, including more practitioners from underserved areas.

Genotype and Cardiac Outcomes in Pediatric Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Background

Pediatric dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a well‐known clinical entity; however, phenotype–genotype correlations are inadequately described. Our objective was to provide genotype associations with life‐threatening cardiac outcomes in pediatric DCM probands.

Methods and Results

We performed a retrospective review of children with DCM at a large pediatric referral center (2007–2016), excluding syndromic, chemotherapy‐induced, and congenital heart disease causes. Genetic variants were adjudicated by an expert panel and an independent clinical laboratory. In a cohort of 109 pediatric DCM cases with a mean age at diagnosis of 4.2 years (SD 5.9), life‐threatening cardiac outcomes occurred in 47% (42% heart transplant, 5% death). One or more pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants were present in 40/109 (37%), and 36/44 (82%) of pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants occurred in sarcomeric genes. The frequency of pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants was not different in patients with familial cardiomyopathy (15/33 with family history versus 25/76 with no family history, P=0.21). TTN truncating variants occurred in a higher percentage of children diagnosed as teenagers (26% teenagers versus 6% younger children, P=0.01), but life‐threatening cardiac outcomes occurred in both infants and teenagers with these TTN variants. DCM with left ventricular noncompaction features occurred in 6/6 patients with MYH7 variants between amino acids 1 and 600.

Conclusions

Sarcomeric variants were common in pediatric DCM. We demonstrated genotype‐specific associations with age of diagnosis and cardiac outcomes. In particular, MYH7 had domain‐specific association with DCM with left ventricular noncompaction features. Family history did not predict pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants, reinforcing that genetic testing should be considered in all children with idiopathic DCM.

Abnormal Microarray, Clinical Outcomes, and Surgical Risk Scores in Young Children with Cardiac Disease

The clinical implications of abnormal chromosomal microarray (CMA) remain unclear for children less than 1 year of age with critical heart disease. Our objective was to determine whether abnormal CMA was related to surgical severity scores or to pre-determined clinical outcomes, including cardiac arrest. Retrospective review of children under 1 year of age admitted to a pediatric cardiac intensive care unit from December, 2014 to September, 2017. Associations between CMA result and cardiac arrest, syndromic abnormalities, and extracardiac anomalies were evaluated. A simple and multivariable logistic regression model was used to analyze associations between STAT mortality category and CMA result. The overall prevalence of abnormal microarray was 48/168 (29%), with peak prevalence in AV septal defects and left-sided obstructive lesions. There was no statistical association between surgical severity scores and abnormal CMA (STAT 1/2 vs. 3+, odds ratio 0.56, p = 0.196). Abnormal CMA was associated with a higher prevalence of cardiac arrest (5/48 abnormal CMA vs. 2/120 normal CMA, p = 0.02). Abnormal CMA was associated with a higher frequency of syndromic abnormalities (18/48 abnormal CMA vs. 13/120 normal CMA, p < 0.001). There was a high prevalence of abnormal CMA findings in the pediatric cardiac population less than 1 year of age (29%), associated with cardiac arrest, but not associated with surgical risk score. The absence of a standardized protocol for ordering a CMA in the setting of congenital heart disease results in a highly variable prevalence data.

Genomic Autopsy of Sudden Deaths in Young Individuals

Importance

Postmortem genetic testing of young individuals with sudden death has previously identified pathogenic gene variants. However, prior studies primarily considered highly penetrant monogenic variants, often without detailed decedent and family clinical information.

Objective

To assess genotype and phenotype risk in a diverse cohort of young decedents with sudden death and their families.

Design, Setting, and Participants

Pathological and whole-genome sequence analysis was conducted in a cohort referred from a national network of medical examiners. Cases were accrued prospectively from May 2015 to March 2019 across 24 US states. Analysis began September 2016 and ended November 2020.

Exposures

Evaluation of autopsy and clinical data integrated with whole-genome sequence data and family member evaluation.

Results

A total of 103 decedents (mean [SD] age at death, 23.7 [11.9] years; age range, 1-44 years), their surviving family members, and 140 sex- and genetic ancestry-matched controls were analyzed. Among 103 decedents, autopsy and clinical data review categorized 36 decedents with postmortem diagnoses, 23 decedents with findings of uncertain significance, and 44 with sudden unexplained death. Pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) genetic variants in arrhythmia or cardiomyopathy genes were identified in 13 decedents (12.6%). A multivariable analysis including decedent phenotype, ancestry, and sex demonstrated that younger decedents had a higher burden of P/LP variants and select variants of uncertain significance (effect size, -1.64; P = .001). These select, curated variants of uncertain significance in cardiac genes were more common in decedents than controls (83 of 103 decedents [86%] vs 100 of 140 controls [71%]; P = .005), and decedents harbored more rare cardiac variants than controls (2.3 variants per individual vs 1.8 in controls; P = .006). Genetic testing of 31 parent-decedent trios and 14 parent-decedent dyads revealed 8 transmitted P/LP variants and 1 de novo P/LP variant. Incomplete penetrance was present in 6 of 8 parents who transmitted a P/LP variant.

Conclusions and Relevance

Whole-genome sequencing effectively identified P/LP variants in cases of sudden death in young individuals, implicating both arrhythmia and cardiomyopathy genes. Genomic analyses and familial phenotype association suggest potentially additive, oligogenic risk mechanisms for sudden death in this cohort.

Life-threatening arrhythmias with autosomal recessive TECRL variants

AIMS

Sudden death and aborted sudden death have been observed in patients with biallelic variants in TECRL. However, phenotypes have only begun to be described and no data are available on medical therapy after long-term follow-up.

METHODS AND RESULTS

An international, multi-centre retrospective review was conducted. We report new cases associated with TECRL variants and long-term follow-up from previously published cases. We present 10 cases and 37 asymptomatic heterozygous carriers. Median age at onset of cardiac symptoms was 8 years (range 1-22 years) and cases were followed for an average of 10.3 years (standard deviation 8.3), right censored by death in three cases. All patients on metoprolol, bisoprolol, or atenolol were transitioned to nadolol or propranolol due to failure of therapy. Phenotypes typical of both long QT syndrome and catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) were observed. We also observed divergent phenotypes in some cases despite identical homozygous variants. None of 37 heterozygous family members had a cardiac phenotype.

CONCLUSION

Patients with biallelic pathogenic TECRL variants present with variable cardiac arrhythmia phenotypes, including those typical of long QT syndrome and CPVT. Nadolol and propranolol may be superior beta-blockers in this setting. No cardiac disease or sudden death was present in patients with a heterozygous genotype.

Management and outcomes of atrial fibrillation in 241 healthy children and young adults: Revisiting "lone" atrial fibrillation-A multi-institutional PACES collaborative study

BACKGROUND

Atrial fibrillation (AF) in healthy children and young adults is rare. Risk of recurrence and treatment efficacy are not well defined.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to assess recurrence patterns and treatment efficacy in AF.

METHODS

A retrospective multicenter cohort study including 13 congenital heart centers was facilitated by the Pediatric & Congenital Electrophysiology Society (PACES). Patients ≤21 years of age with documented AF from January 2004 to December 2018 were included. Demographics, family and clinical history, medications, electrophysiological study parameters, and outcomes related to the treatment of AF were recorded and analyzed. Patients with contributory diseases were excluded.

RESULTS

In 241 subjects (83% male; mean age at onset 16 years), AF recurred in 94 patients (39%) during 2.1 ± 2.6 years of follow-up. In multivariable analysis, predictors of AF recurrence were family history in a first-degree relative <50 years of age (odds ratio [OR] 1.9; P = .047) and longer PR interval in sinus rhythm (OR 1.1 per 10 ms; P = .037). AF recurrence was similar whether patients began no treatment (39/125 [31%]), began daily antiarrhythmic therapy (24/63 [38%]), or had an ablation at any time (14/53 [26%]; P = .39). Ablating non-AF substrate with supraventricular tachycardia improved freedom from AF recurrence (P = .013).

CONCLUSION

Recurrence of AF in the pediatric population is common, and the incidence of recurrence was not impacted by "no treatment," "medication only," or "ablation" treatment strategy. Ablation of pathways and other reentrant targets was the only intervention that decreased AF recurrence in children and young adults.

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging in children after recovery from symptomatic COVID-19 or MIS-C: a prospective study

BACKGROUND

Cardiac evaluations, including cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging and biomarker results, are needed in children during mid-term recovery after infection with SARS-CoV-2. The incidence of CMR abnormalities 1-3 months after recovery is over 50% in older adults and has ranged between 1 and 15% in college athletes. Abnormal cardiac biomarkers are common in adults, even during recovery.

METHODS

We performed CMR imaging in a prospectively-recruited pediatric cohort recovered from COVID-19 and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). We obtained CMR data and serum biomarkers. We compared these results to age-matched control patients, imaged prior to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

RESULTS

CMR was performed in 17 children (13.9 years, all ≤ 18 years) and 29 age-matched control patients without SARS-CoV-2 infection. Cases were recruited with symptomatic COVID-19 (11/17, 65%) or MIS-C (6/17, 35%) and studied an average of 2 months after diagnosis. All COVID-19 patients had been symptomatic with fever (73%), vomiting/diarrhea (64%), or breathing difficulty (55%) during infection. Left ventricular and right ventricular ejection fractions were indistinguishable between cases and controls (p = 0.66 and 0.70, respectively). Mean native global T1, global T2 values and segmental T2 maximum values were also not statistically different from control patients (p ≥ 0.06 for each). NT-proBNP and troponin levels were normal in all children.

CONCLUSIONS

Children prospectively recruited following SARS-CoV-2 infection had normal CMR and cardiac biomarker evaluations during mid-term recovery. Trial Registration Not applicable.

Mitochondrial cardiomyopathy and ventricular arrhythmias associated with biallelic variants in C1QBP

Patients with biallelic mutations in the nuclear-encoded mitochondrial gene C1QBP/p32 have been described with syndromic features and autosomal recessive cardiomyopathy. We describe the clinical course in two siblings who developed cardiomyopathy and ventricular fibrillation in infancy. We provide genomic analysis and clinical-pathologic correlation. Both siblings had profound cardiac failure with ventricular arrhythmia. One child died suddenly. The second sibling survived resuscitation but required extracorporeal cardiopulmonary support and died shortly afterward. On cardiac autopsy, the left ventricle was hypertrophied in both children. Histological examination revealed prominent cardiomyocyte cytoplasmic clearing, and electron microscopy confirmed abnormal mitochondrial structure within cardiomyocytes. DNA sequencing revealed compound heterozygous variants in C1QBP (p.Thr40Asnfs*45 and p.Phe204Leu) in both children. Family segregation analysis demonstrated each variant was inherited from an unaffected, heterozygous parent. Inherited loss of C1QBP/p32 is associated with recessive cardiomyopathy, ventricular fibrillation, and sudden death in early life. Ultrastructural mitochondrial evaluation in the second child was similar to findings in engineered C1qbp-deficient mice. Rapid trio analysis can define rare biallelic variants in genes that may be implicated in sudden death and facilitate medical management and family planning. (184/200).

Surveillance Cultures and Infection in 230 Pacemaker and Defibrillator Generator Changes in Pediatric and Adult Congenital Patients

BACKGROUND

Postoperative infections can occur during surgical replacement of pulse generators for pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators. The incidence of infection is poorly documented in children and patients with adult congenital heart disease. The utility of surveillance cultures obtained from device pocket swabs is unknown in this group.

METHODS

We reviewed surgical replacements of cardiovascular implantable pulse generators from 2010 to 2017. Two cohorts were defined. In a surveillance cohort (123 patients), aerobic and anaerobic culture swabs of the device pocket were obtained at the time of generator change. In a nonsurveillance cohort (107 patients), generator change occurred without obtaining cultures.

RESULTS

During 230 generator changes (mean patient age 19 years; 77% with structural congenital heart disease), two clinical infections occurred at the surgical site (0.9% incidence). Neither infection occurred in the surveillance cohort. Cultures were positive in 12 (9.8%) of 123 patients in the surveillance cohort, but 11 of 12 were likely contaminants and none were subsequently associated with clinical disease. There was no association between clinical infection or positive surveillance cultures and the location of pulse generator, the presence of other concurrent surgeries, or a history of prior pocket infection.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinical infection was rare after pulse generator change in children and young adults. No cases required reintervention on the pocket. Surveillance cultures did not improve clinical care. These data extend current recommendations that surveillance cultures are not required during generator change to the pediatric and young adult population.

Aberrated supraventricular tachycardia associated with neonatal fever and COVID-19 infection

A 9-day-old girl presented during the 2020 SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in wide-complex tachycardia with acute, symptomatic COVID-19 infection. Because the potential cardiac complications of COVID-19 were unknown at the time of her presentation, we chose to avoid the potential risks of haemodynamic collapse associated with afterload reduction from adenosine. Instead, a transoesophageal pacing catheter was placed. Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) with an aberrated QRS morphology was diagnosed and the catheter was used to pace-terminate tachycardia. This presentation illustrates that the haemodynamic consequences of a concurrent infection with largely unknown neonatal sequelae present a potentially high-risk situation for pharmacologic conversion. Oesophageal cannulation can be used to diagnose and terminate infantile SVT.

A prime/boost vaccine platform efficiently identifies CD27 agonism and depletion of myeloid-derived suppressor cells as therapies that rationally combine with checkpoint blockade in ovarian cancer

Cancer immunotherapies have generated remarkable clinical responses for some patients with advanced/metastatic disease, prompting exploration of rational combination therapies to bolster anti-tumor immunity in patients with limited response or those who experience tumor progression following an initial response to immunotherapy. In contrast to other tumor indications, objective response rates to single-agent PD-1/PD-L1 blockade in ovarian cancer are limited, suggesting a need to identify combinatorial approaches that lead to tumor regression in a setting where checkpoint blockade alone is ineffective. Using a pre-clinical model of aggressive intraperitoneal ovarian cancer, we have previously reported on a heterologous prime/boost cancer vaccine that elicits robust anti-tumor immunity, prolongs survival of tumor-bearing mice, and which is further improved when combined with checkpoint blockade. As tumor control in this model is CD8 + T cell dependent, we reasoned that the prime/boost vaccine platform could be used to explore additional treatment combinations intended to bolster the effects of CD8 + T cells. Using whole tumor transcriptomic data, we identified candidate therapeutic targets anticipated to rationally combine with prime/boost vaccination. In the context of a highly effective cancer vaccine, CD27 agonism or antibody-mediated depletion of granulocytic cells each modestly increased tumor control following vaccination, with anti-PD-1 therapy further improving treatment efficacy. These findings support the use of immunotherapies with well-defined mechanisms(s) of action as a valuable platform for identifying candidate combination approaches for further therapeutic testing in ovarian cancer.

Outcomes of Pediatric Patients With Defibrillators Following Initial Presentation With Sudden Cardiac Arrest

BACKGROUND

Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) are recommended for secondary prevention after sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). The outcomes of pediatric patients receiving an ICD after SCA remain unclear. The objective of this study is to evaluate outcomes, future risk for appropriate shocks, and identify characteristics associated with appropriate ICD therapy during follow-up.

METHODS

Multicenter retrospective analysis of patients (age ≤21 years) without prior cardiac disease who received an ICD following SCA. Patient/device characteristics, cardiac function, and underlying diagnoses were collected, along with SCA event characteristics. Patient outcomes including complications and device therapies were analyzed.

RESULTS

In total, 106 patients were included, median age 14.7 years. Twenty (19%) received appropriate shocks and 16 (15%) received inappropriate shocks (median follow-up 3 years). First-degree relative with SCA was associated with appropriate shocks (P<0.05). In total, 40% patients were considered idiopathic. Channelopathy was the most frequent late diagnosis not made at time of presentation. Neither underlying diagnosis nor idiopathic status was associated with increased incidence of appropriate shock. Monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (hazard ratio, 4.6 [1.2-17.3]) and family history of sudden death (hazard ratio, 6.5 [1.4-29.8]) were associated with freedom from appropriate shock in a multivariable model (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.8). Time from diagnoses to evaluation demonstrated a nonlinear association with freedom from appropriate shock (P=0.015). In patients >2 years from implantation, younger age (P=0.02) and positive exercise test (P=0.04) were associated with appropriate shock.

CONCLUSIONS

The risk of future device therapy is high in pediatric patients receiving an ICD after SCA, irrelevant of underlying disease. Lack of a definitive diagnosis after SCA was not associated with lower risk of subsequent events and does not obviate the need for secondary prophylaxis.

Calmodulin mutations and life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias: insights from the International Calmodulinopathy Registry

AIMS

Calmodulinopathies are rare life-threatening arrhythmia syndromes which affect mostly young individuals and are, caused by mutations in any of the three genes (CALM 1-3) that encode identical calmodulin proteins. We established the International Calmodulinopathy Registry (ICalmR) to understand the natural history, clinical features, and response to therapy of patients with a CALM-mediated arrhythmia syndrome.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A dedicated Case Report File was created to collect demographic, clinical, and genetic information. ICalmR has enrolled 74 subjects, with a variant in the CALM1 (n = 36), CALM2 (n = 23), or CALM3 (n = 15) genes. Sixty-four (86.5%) were symptomatic and the 10-year cumulative mortality was 27%. The two prevalent phenotypes are long QT syndrome (LQTS; CALM-LQTS, n = 36, 49%) and catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT; CALM-CPVT, n = 21, 28%). CALM-LQTS patients have extremely prolonged QTc intervals (594 ± 73 ms), high prevalence (78%) of life-threatening arrhythmias with median age at onset of 1.5 years [interquartile range (IQR) 0.1-5.5 years] and poor response to therapies. Most electrocardiograms (ECGs) show late onset peaked T waves. All CALM-CPVT patients were symptomatic with median age of onset of 6.0 years (IQR 3.0-8.5 years). Basal ECG frequently shows prominent U waves. Other CALM-related phenotypes are idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (IVF, n = 7), sudden unexplained death (SUD, n = 4), overlapping features of CPVT/LQTS (n = 3), and predominant neurological phenotype (n = 1). Cardiac structural abnormalities and neurological features were present in 18 and 13 patients, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Calmodulinopathies are largely characterized by adrenergically-induced life-threatening arrhythmias. Available therapies are disquietingly insufficient, especially in CALM-LQTS. Combination therapy with drugs, sympathectomy, and devices should be considered.

Antimicrobial activity of enacyloxin IIa and gladiolin against the urogenital pathogens Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Ureaplasma spp

AIMS

To determine the antimicrobial activity of enacyloxin IIa and gladiolin against Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Ureaplasma spp.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The Burkholderia polyketide antibiotics enacyloxin IIa and gladiolin were tested against 14 N. gonorrhoeae and 10 Ureaplasma spp. isolates including multidrug-resistant N. gonorrhoeae isolates WHO V, WHO X and WHO Z as well as macrolide, tetracycline and ciprofloxacin-resistant ureaplasmas. Susceptibility testing of N. gonorrhoeae was carried out by agar dilution, whereas broth micro-dilution and growth kinetic assays were used for Ureaplasma spp. The MIC range for enacyloxin IIa and gladiolin against N. gonorrhoeae was 0·015-0·06 mg l^-1 and 1-2 mg l^-1 respectively. The presence of resistance to front line antibiotics had no effect on MIC values. The MIC range for enacyloxin IIa against Ureaplasma spp. was 4-32 mg l^-1 with a clear dose-dependent effect when observed using a growth kinetic assay. Gladiolin had no antimicrobial activity on Ureaplasma spp. at 32 mg l^-1 and limited impact on growth kinetics.

CONCLUSIONS

Enacyloxin IIa and gladiolin antibiotics have antimicrobial activity against a range of antibiotic susceptible and resistant N. gonorrhoeae and Ureaplasma isolates.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This study highlights the potential for a new class of antimicrobial against pathogens in which limited antibiotics are available. Development of these compounds warrants further investigation in the face of emerging extensively drug-resistant strains.

Right ventricular septal pacing via transmural approach for resynchronization in a child with postoperative heart block

An infant with transposition of the great arteries was paced for postoperative heart block (single-site, right ventricular [RV] epicardial). She developed severe left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and septal dyskinesis. Resynchronization was performed at the age of 4 with an LV epicardial lead and an RV septal endocardial lead. The endocardial lead was affixed to the interventricular septum, then tunneled through the RV free wall and attached to an abdominal pulse generator. QRS duration decreased (176 to 122 ms) and LV ejection fraction improved (26 to 61%) and remained stable for 8 years. We present a case of successful resynchronization in congenital heart disease using a transmural RV septal lead.

Prevalence of Abnormal Heart Weight After Sudden Death in People Younger than 40 Years of Age

Background After sudden cardiac death in people aged <40 years, heart weight is a surrogate for cardiomegaly and a marker for cardiomyopathy. However, thresholds for cardiomegaly based on heart weight have not been validated in a cohort of cases of sudden cardiac death in young people. Methods and Results We surveyed medical examiner offices to determine which tools were used to assess heart weight norms. The survey determined that there was no gold standard for cardiomegaly (52 centers reported 22 different methods). We used a collection of heart weight data from sudden deaths in the Northwestern Sudden Death Collaboration (NSDC) to test the 22 methods. We found that the methods reported in our survey had little consistency: they classified between 18% and 81% of NSDC hearts with cardiomegaly. Therefore, we obtained biometric and postmortem data from a reference population of 3398 decedents aged <40 years. The reference population was ethnically diverse and had no known cardiac pathology on autopsy or histology. We derived and validated a multivariable regression model to predict normal heart weights and a threshold for cardiomegaly (upper 95% CI limit) in the young reference population (the Chicago model). Using the new model, the prevalence of cardiomegaly in hearts from the NSDC was 19%. Conclusions Medical examiner offices use a variety of tools to classify cardiomegaly. These approaches produce inconsistent results, and many overinterpret cardiomegaly. We recommend the model proposed to classify postmortem cardiomegaly in cases of sudden cardiac death in young people.

Changes in genetic variant results over time in pediatric cardiomyopathy and electrophysiology

Genetic testing for cardiac disorders continues to change. Our objective was to assess trends in variant classification in pediatric arrhythmia and cardiomyopathy. We conducted a retrospective review of patients tested for genetic arrhythmia and cardiomyopathy disorders from 2006-2017. Variants were classified by CLIA laboratories. Trends were assessed by the Spearman correlation. There were 914 variants in 583 patients from 337 families. The total number of tests ordered increased over time, accelerating after 2012. There was a strong positive correlation between the average number of genes tested per panel and year of testing (r = .97, p < .001) and a weak correlation between the year and a decrease in the percentage of clinically actionable variants (r = -.20, p = .005). By 2011, VUS represented >50% of variants reported on panels. Over 12 years, 203 genes were interrogated; one or more variants were reported in 91 of 203 genes (45%). 32% of patients had at least one clinically actionable variant; 28% had at least one VUS. Reclassification is an important long-term issue, with 21.5% variants changing clinical interpretation. We observed an increase over time in three areas: total number of tests ordered, average number of genes/panel, and percentage of VUS. Providers may need to interpret results from 90 + genes, and ongoing education is critical. Due to their specific training in test result interpretation, we recommend the inclusion of a genetic counselor in pediatric electrophysiology and cardiomyopathy teams.

Evolution and Current Results of a Unified Strategy for Sinus Venosus Surgery

BACKGROUND

Given recent reports of percutaneous closure of sinus venosus atrial septal defects, we reviewed our experience with surgical repair. Owing to the high incidence of arrhythmias with the two-patch technique, since 2001 we have used either one-patch repairs or the Warden procedure.

METHODS

A retrospective review was performed of pediatric patients undergoing sinus venosus atrial septal defect repair at our institution from January 1, 1990, to July 1, 2018. Standard demographic data such as echocardiographic and cross-sectional imaging along with operative details and clinical echocardiographic outcomes were collected.

RESULTS

The cohort included 144 patients with a median age of 4.3 years (interquartile range, 8.5). Inferior SVASD was present in 24 patients (17%). A single autologous untreated pericardial patch was used for 114 patients (79%), a two-patch technique for 20 patients (14%, last performed in 2000), and a Warden procedure in 10 patients (7%). Median length of stay was 4 days (interquartile range, 2). On echocardiogram follow-up, no patient had pulmonary vein stenosis. One patient who had the Warden procedure required a balloon dilation of the superior caval vein 2 years postoperatively and a stent 3 years later. Two-patch patients were substantially less likely to be in normal sinus rhythm (41%) on postoperative electrocardiograms compared with the other two techniques (81% one-patch and 89% Warden, P = .02).

CONCLUSIONS

The great majority of patients with sinus venosus atrial septal defects can be successfully repaired with a single patch of autologous pericardium. We transitioned to using either a single pericardial patch or the Warden procedure, resulting in a higher frequency of normal sinus rhythm on postoperative electrocardiograms.

A multicentre, randomized, double-masked, parallel group, vehicle-controlled phase IIb study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of 1% and 3% topical minocycline gel in patients with papulopustular rosacea

Background

Papulopustular rosacea is characterized by chronic facial erythema and inflammatory facial lesions. Minocycline has anti‐inflammatory properties which may be effective in the treatment of rosacea inflammatory lesions.

Objectives

To assess the safety and efficacy of once‐daily topical minocycline gel 1% and 3% in patients with papulopustular rosacea.

Methods

This was a prospective, 12‐week, double‐blinded study conducted at 26 sites in the United States; 270 patients with papulopustular rosacea and 12–40 inflammatory lesions were randomized to minocycline 1%, minocycline 3% or vehicle. The primary endpoint was the mean change in inflammatory lesions at week 12. Key secondary endpoints included success on an Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA).

Results

Baseline mean lesion counts were 24·6, 25·1 and 24·3 in the minocycline 1%, minocycline 3% and vehicle groups, respectively; at week 12, the counts had decreased by 12·6, 13·1 and 7·9, respectively. Minocycline significantly decreased lesions, compared with the vehicle [P = 0·01, 95% confidence interval (CI) 7·9 to 0·9, for minocycline 1%; P = 0·007, 95% CI 8·3 to 1·3, for minocycline 3%]. The proportion of patients achieving IGA success was 39% in the minocycline 1% arm [P = 0·34, odds ratio (OR) 1·396 and OR 95% CI 0·71 to 2·75 vs. vehicle], 46% in the minocycline 3% arm (P = 0·04, OR 2·03 and OR 95% CI 1·04 to 3·95 vs. vehicle) and 31% in the vehicle arm.

Conclusions

Minocycline topical gel appears to be safe and tolerable at concentrations of 1% and 3%, and both concentrations significantly decreased inflammatory lesion counts, with a significantly larger proportion of patients achieving IGA success at week 12 in the minocycline 3% arm. These findings support further evaluation of minocycline gel for treating inflammatory lesions associated with papulopustular rosacea.

Linked Comment: Hampton. Br J Dermatol 2020; 183:412–413.

What is already known about this topic?

Papulopustular rosacea is characterized by inflammatory facial lesions and chronic erythema of the face.

Oral minocycline has been reported to have efficacy in the treatment of inflammatory lesions of papulopustular rosacea.

What does this study add?

The study shows that a topical gel preparation of minocycline significantly decreased the number of inflammatory lesions and significantly improved the Investigator's Global Assessment score in patients with papulopustular rosacea.

This may offer a topical therapeutic alternative to oral doxycycline or oral minocycline for the treatment of inflammatory lesions in papulopustular rosacea, with potentially fewer systemic side‐effects, owing to lower systemic drug exposure.

Linked Comment: Hampton. Br J Dermatol 2020; 183:412–413.

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