Perioperative monitoring in high-risk infants after stage 1 palliation of univentricular congenital heart disease.
OBJECTIVE
Survival of high-risk patients with univentricular heart disease after Norwood palliation is reduced. We hypothesized that early goal-directed monitoring with venous oximetry and near-infrared spectroscopy would offset their increased vulnerability and improve survival.


METHODS
A prospective database of patients undergoing stage 1 palliation was used to assess differences in outcomes across risk groups in the setting of a comprehensive, goal-directed monitoring program. High-risk criteria included gestational age 35 weeks or less, birth weight less than 2.5 kg, and additional cardiac or extracardiac anomalies. Outcomes included survival to defined end points and measures of postoperative support.


RESULTS
From September 2000 to September 2008, 162 patients underwent stage 1 palliation: 28% (45/162) high-risk and 72% (117/162) standard-risk patients. Lesions other than hypoplastic left heart syndrome were more common among high-risk patients (38%, 17/45, vs 15%, 18/117, P = .003). Operative survival was not statistically different(87%, 39/45, high risk vs 95%, 111/117, standard risk, P = .1). High-risk patients were more likely to receive inpatient treatment until stage 2 palliation (24%, 11/45, vs 10%, 12/117, P = .001) and had lower 1-year survival (78% vs 93%, P = .01) and survival to date (71% vs 92%, P = .001).


CONCLUSIONS
Intensive monitoring partially offset biologic vulnerability of high-risk patients, helping attain comparable early outcomes. Vulnerability persisted throughout the interstage period, however, and increased mortality beyond cavopulmonary shunt was seen only among high-risk patients. Although enhanced monitoring reduced early mortality, high resource use and attrition after stage 2 palliation suggest an ongoing need to evaluate our current palliative strategy for this subset of patients.
Ghanayem
Nancy S
NS
Herma Heart Center at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA. nancyg@mcw.edu
Hoffman
George M
GM
Mussatto
Kathleen A
KA
Frommelt
Michele A
MA
Cava
Joseph R
JR
Mitchell
Michael E
ME
Tweddell
James S
JS
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D019992:Databases as Topic; D005260:Female; D018610:Heart Bypass, Right / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods*; D010092:Oximetry; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood*; D010166:Palliative Care; D019990:Perioperative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014922:Wisconsin
D015415:Biomarkers; D010100:Oxygen