title: Paediatric follow-up of haemodynamically insignificant congenital cardiac lesions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the prevailing follow-up of haemodynamically insignificant congenital cardiac lesions (HICCL) in the UK. To suggest a rationalisation of follow-up based on the known natural history of these lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  An internet-based survey of 170 paediatric cardiologists and general paediatricians with an interest in cardiology in the UK. Five scenarios concerning common HICCL were presented: ventricular and atrial septal defects, patent foramen ovale, mild pulmonary stenosis and persistent ductus arteriosus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 52 respondents. There was a broad range of beliefs and practices. However, there were tendencies to discharge children with a patent foramen ovale and follow patients with all other lesions, often on a relatively frequent basis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increasingly sensitive and advanced nature of echocardiography and the subsequent reliance upon it may be contributing to unnecessarily frequent review of HICCL and a reluctance to discharge patients. In the majority of patients with HICCL, no more than two assessments of HICCL are required after 2 years of age - once in late childhood and once near full growth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Cardiology, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Benjamin G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Shakeel A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Qureshi
mesh_terms: D016507:Cardiology Service, Hospital; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D054092:Foramen Ovale, Patent; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D006113:United Kingdom