title: Does an aortopulmonary shunt before repair of tetralogy of Fallot limit exercise tolerance in long-term survivors?
abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of an aortopulmonary shunt on exercise capacity in long-term survivors after total repair of tetralogy of Fallot (17.6(2.0) years' follow-up). Submaximal exercise tests, pulmonary function tests, lund diffusion tests for carbon monoxide, two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography were performed in 12 patients with an aortopulmonary shunt (group A) and in 21 patients (group B) without a shunt before repair. There were no significant differences in two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiographic findings nor in pulmonary function. Group A showed a significantly lower diffusion capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide at rest (66.2(13.0)% versus 84.1(9.5)%; P < 0.01) and at the anaerobic threshold (71.8(11.0)% versus 87.2(9.8)%; P < 0.01) as well as a significantly reduced physical working capacity at ventilatory anaerobic threshold (1.6)(0.32) W/kg versus 2.41(0.43) W/kg; P < 0.01). A negative correlation was observed between the duration of palliative shunts and diffusion capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide at rest at ventilatory anaerobic threshold (r = -0.8635 and -0.9108 respectively). A shunt placed before definitive repair impairs the long-term working capacity, probably by diminishing the diffusion capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide, especially if the shunt is in place for more than 20 months.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leyh
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Böhle
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Sievers
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bernhard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015308:Anaerobic Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D000792:Angiography; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D004452:Echocardiography; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000098:blood supply; D008297:Male; D010166:Palliative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011653:Pulmonary Diffusing Capacity / Q000502:physiology*; D015996:Survival Rate; D013771:Tetralogy of Fallot / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery