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Background: Adherence to secondary prevention measures among patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) affects patient prognosis, whereas patients' adherence behaviors change over time. Objectives: The aims of this study were to identify adherence trajectories to secondary prevention measures including medication-taking and a heart-healthy lifestyle and to estimate predictors of adherence trajectories among patients with CAD. Methods: This longitudinal study enrolled 698 patients with CAD who received a percutaneous coronary intervention in China. Demographics, clinical characteristics, adherence to secondary prevention measures, and patient-related factors including disease knowledge, self-efficacy, and health literacy were measured during hospitalization. Adherence behaviors were followed at 1, 3, and 6 months, and 1 year after discharge. Group-based trajectory models estimated adherence trajectories, and multinomial logistic regression identified trajectory group predictors. Results : Four trajectory groups were identified for medication-taking adherence: sustained adherence (39.9%), increasing and then decreasing adherence (23.1%), increasing adherence (23.4%), and nonadherence (13.6%). The 3 adherence trajectory groups for a heart-healthy lifestyle were sustained adherence (59.7%), increasing adherence (28.3%), and nonadherence (12.0%). Married patients were more likely (odds ratio [OR], 3.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.56-7.52) to have sustained adherence to medication-taking. However, patients with higher disease knowledge were less likely (OR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.87-0.99) to be adherent. Patients who were not working (OR, 2.25; 95% CI, 1.03-4.92) had higher self-efficacy (OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.08-1.37). Those with higher health literacy (OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.01-1.38) were more likely to have sustained adherence to a heart-healthy lifestyle. However, patients having no coronary stents (OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.19-0.70) were less likely to have done so. Conclusions: Trajectories of adherence to secondary prevention measures among mainland Chinese patients with CAD are multipatterned. Healthcare providers should formulate targeted adherence support, which considers the influence of disease knowledge, self-efficacy, and health literacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Surgical resection of cardiac fibromas in children reduces hemodynamic and arrhythmia burden; however, little is known about postoperative left ventricular (LV) function. We aimed to evaluate factors associated with postoperative LV dysfunction. METHODS: In this retrospective observational cohort study, imaging data were reviewed from 41 patients who had undergone surgical resection of a cardiac fibroma. Tumor volume was indexed to body surface area (tumor volume index). Right ventricular tumors were excluded from analysis of postoperative ventricular function. Postoperative regional wall motion abnormality score was defined as number of wall segments with regional wall motion abnormality, and LV dysfunction was defined as LV ejection fraction <50%. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance-derived strain was low if <5%ile by previously published normative data. RESULTS: Of 41 patients who underwent resection at a median age of 2.1 years (range, 0.5-19), 37 fibromas were in the LV, (29 free wall and 8 septal), and 4 in the right ventricle. Preoperative median tumor volume index was 66 mL/m² (range, 11-376). Of 37 patients with LV tumors, younger patients had larger tumor volume index and higher grades of preoperative mitral regurgitation (P<0.001). Larger tumor volume index correlated with higher postoperative regional wall motion abnormality score (P<0.001). By paired pre- and post-operative cardiovascular magnetic resonance (n=14), LV end-diastolic volume increased (mean 76 versus 101 mL/m², P=0.011), with decreased LV ejection fraction (mean 60% versus 55%, P=0.014), a higher prevalence of low global circumferential strain (36% versus 64%, P=0.045), and decreased cardiac index (mean 4.8 versus 3.9 L/[min·m²], P=0.039). More than mild preoperative mitral regurgitation was the only independent predictor of predischarge LV dysfunction (odds ratio, 22 [95% CI, 2.8-179], P=0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Surgical resection of LV fibroma is associated with regional wall motion abnormality, increased LV volume, and reduced systolic function. Children with significant preoperative mitral regurgitation are at highest risk for LV dysfunction and warrant ongoing close surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background--Multiple echocardiographic methods are used to measure left ventricular size and function. Clinical management is based on individual evaluations and longitudinal trends. The Pediatric Heart Network VVV study (Ventricular Volume Variability) in pediatric patients with dilated cardiomyopathy has reported reproducibility of several of these measures, and how disease state and number of beats impact their reproducibility. In this study, we investigated the impact of observer and sonographer variation on reproducibility of dimension, area, and volume methods to determine the best method for both individual and sequential evaluations. Methods and Results--In 8 centers, echocardiograms were obtained on 169 patients prospectively. During the same visit, 2 different sonographers acquired the same imaging protocol on each patient. Each acquisition was analyzed by 2 different observers; first observer analyzed the first acquisition twice. Intraobserver, interobserver, interacquisition, and interobserver-acquisition (different observers and different acquisition) reproducibility were assessed on measurements of left ventricular end-diastolic dimension, area, and volume. Left ventricular shortening fraction, ejection fraction, mass, and fractional area change were calculated. Percent difference was calculated as (interobservation difference/mean)x100. Interobserver reproducibility for both acquisitions was better for both volume and dimension measurements (P≤0.002) compared with area measurements, whereas intraobserver, interacquisition (for both observers), and interobserver-acquisition reproducibilities (for both observer-acquisition sets) were best for volume measurements (P≤0.01). Overall, interobserver-acquisition percent differences were significantly higher than interobserver and interacquisition percent differences (P≤0.001). Conclusions--In pediatric patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, compared with dimension and area methods, left ventricular measurements by volume method have the best reproducibility in settings where assessment is not performed by the same personnel. Clinical Trial Registration--URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00123071. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pediatric Heart Network’s Single Ventricle Reconstruction (SVR) trial randomized infants with single right ventricles (RVs) undergoing a Norwood procedure to a modified Blalock-Taussig or RV-to-pulmonary artery shunt. This report compares RV parameters in the 2 groups using 3-dimensional echocardiography.Three-dimensional echocardiography studies were obtained at 10 of 15 SVR centers. Of the 549 subjects, 314 underwent 3-dimensional echocardiography studies at 1 to 4 time points (pre-Norwood, post-Norwood, pre-stage II, and 14 months) for a total of 757 3-dimensional echocardiography studies. Of these, 565 (75%) were acceptable for analysis. RV volume, mass, mass:volume ratio, ejection fraction, and severity of tricuspid regurgitation did not differ by shunt type. RV volumes and mass did not change after the Norwood, but increased from pre-Norwood to pre-stage II (end-diastolic volume [milliliters]/body surface area [BSA]1.3, end-systolic volume [milliliters]/BSA1.3, and mass [grams]/BSA1.3 mean difference [95% confidence interval]=25.0 [8.7-41.3], 19.3 [8.3-30.4], and 17.9 [7.3-28.5], then decreased by 14 months (end-diastolic volume/BSA1.3, end-systolic volume/BSA1.3, and mass/BSA1.3 mean difference [95% confidence interval]=-24.4 [-35.0 to -13.7], -9.8 [-17.9 to -1.7], and -15.3 [-22.0 to -8.6]. Ejection fraction decreased from pre-Norwood to pre-stage II (mean difference [95% confidence interval]=-3.7 [-6.9 to -0.5]), but did not decrease further by 14 months.We found no statistically significant differences between study groups in 3-dimensional echocardiography measures of RV size and function, or magnitude of tricuspid regurgitation. Volume unloading was seen after stage II, as expected, but ejection fraction did not improve. This study provides insights into the remodeling of the operated univentricular RV in infancy.URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00115934. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The interstage period after discharge from stage 1 palliation carries high morbidity and mortality. The impact of social determinants of health on interstage outcomes is not well characterized. We assessed the relationship between childhood opportunity and acute interstage outcomes., Methods: Infants discharged home after stage 1 palliation in the National Pediatric Quality Improvement Collaborative Phase II registry (2016-2022) were retrospectively reviewed. Zip code-level Childhood Opportunity Index (COI), a composite metric of 29 indicators across education, health and environment, and socioeconomic domains, was used to classify patients into 5 COI levels. Acute interstage outcomes included death or transplant listing, unplanned readmission, intensive care unit admission, unplanned catheterization, and reoperation. The association between COI level and acute interstage outcomes was assessed using logistic regression with sequential adjustment for potential confounders., Results: The analysis cohort included 1837 patients from 69 centers. Birth weight ( P <0.001) and proximity to a surgical center at birth ( P =0.02) increased with COI level. Stage 1 length of stay decreased ( P =0.001), and exclusive oral feeding rate at discharge increased ( P <0.001), with higher COI level. More than 98% of patients in all COI levels were enrolled in home monitoring. Death or transplant listing occurred in 101 (5%) patients with unplanned readmission in 987 (53%), intensive care unit admission in 448 (24%), catheterization in 345 (19%), and reoperation in 83 (5%). There was no difference in the incidence or time to occurrence of any acute interstage outcome among COI levels in unadjusted or adjusted analysis. There was no interaction between race and ethnicity and childhood opportunity in acute interstage outcomes., Conclusions: Zip code COI level is associated with differences in preoperative risk factors and stage 1 palliation hospitalization characteristics. Acute interstage outcomes, although common across the spectrum of childhood opportunity, are not associated with COI level in an era of highly prevalent home monitoring programs. The role of home monitoring in mitigating disparities during the interstage period merits further investigation., Competing Interests: None.

Background: Phosphodiesterase inhibitors are known to relieve symptoms in the setting of heart failure, although their effects in restrictive ventricular physiology have been poorly characterized. We explored the association between the use of milrinone and volume administration during the first 72 hours following surgical repair of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF)., Methods: We reviewed all cases of primary surgical repair of TOF with pulmonary stenosis or atresia at Boston Children's Hospital between 2011 and 2020. To adjust for baseline differences between patients who did and did not receive milrinone, we matched patients with similar propensity scores in a 1:1 ratio (use of milrinone versus not). We then compared the need for volume administration during the first 72 hours postoperatively, vital signs, and measures of cardiac output between the matched cohorts. Additionally, in the group of patients receiving milrinone, linear regression modeling was used to explore the relationship between total dose of milrinone and total volume administration., Results: Among 351 included patients, 134 received perioperative milrinone. A total of 212 patients (106 per group) were matched based on anatomic and surgical risks using a propensity score. After propensity matching, compared with nonmilrinone-treated patients, milrinone-treated patients were given postoperative volume more frequently (66% vs 52%; difference 14% [95% confidence interval, CI, 1%-27%]; P = .036). Milrinone-treated patients had a slower recovery of tachycardia during the first 12 hours (difference in slope 0.30 [95% CI, 0.14-0.47] beats per minute [BPM]/h; P < .001), and the intergroup difference peaked at 12 hours postoperatively (8 [95% CI, 5-12] BPM). Milrinone administration was not associated with improved cardiac output, including arteriovenous oxyhemoglobin saturation difference. In propensity-matched patients receiving milrinone, the total volume administered during the first 72 postoperative hours was significantly associated with the cumulative dose of postoperative milrinone ( r = 0.20; 95% CI, 0.01-0.38; P = .036). Based on the slope of the regression line, for every 1000 µg/kg of milrinone (equivalent to ~0.25 µg/kg/min for 72 hours) administered in the first 72 postoperative hours, an estimated 11.0 (95% CI, 0.6-21.4) mL/kg additional volume was administered., Conclusions: The use of milrinone within the first 72 hours following TOF repair is associated with more frequent administration of volume, a positive association between a higher total dose of postoperative milrinone and the amount of postoperative volume administered, a higher heart rate, and a lower blood pressure, but is not associated with improved cardiac output., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 International Anesthesia Research Society.)

Background: Research comparing the survival of children with familial dilated cardiomyopathy (FDCM) to that of children with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCM) has produced conflicting results., Methods and Results: We analyzed data from children with FDCM or IDCM using the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-funded Pediatric Cardiomyopathy Registry. Compared to children with IDCM (n=647), children with FDCM (n=223) were older (mean 6.2 versus 4.5 years, P <0.001), less often had heart failure (64% versus 78%, P <0.001), had less-depressed mean left ventricular fractional shortening z scores (-7.85±3.98 versus -9.06±3.89, P <0.001) and lower end-diastolic dimension z scores (4.12±2.61 versus 4.91±2.57, P <0.001) at diagnosis. The cumulative incidence of death was lower for patients with FDCM compared with IDCM ( P =0.04; hazard ratio 0.64, P =0.06), but no difference in risk of transplant or the combined death or transplant outcome. There was no difference in the proportion of children with echocardiographic normalization at 3 years of follow-up (FDCM, 30% versus IDCM, 26%; P =0.33). Multivariable analysis showed no difference in outcomes between FDCM and IDCM but for both groups older age, congestive heart failure, and increased left ventricular end-systolic dimension z score at diagnosis were independently associated with an increased risk of death or heart transplantation (all P s<0.001)., Conclusions: There was no survival difference between FDCM and IDCM after adjustment for other factors. Older age, congestive heart failure, and greater left ventricular dilation at diagnosis were independently associated with increased risk of the combined end point of death or transplantation., Clinical Trial Registration: URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00005391., (© 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.)