title: Older Age at Completion of Fontan Procedure Is Associated with Improved Percentage of Predicted Maximum Oxygen Uptake.
abstract: We tested the hypothesis that later completion of the Fontan procedure is associated with improved exercise capacity in the current period of staged single-ventricle palliation. We performed a retrospective study, in Fontan patients, of exercise stress test data from April 2003 through March 2011. Patients were included if they had received staged palliations in accordance with current surgical strategy, defined as the performance of a superior cavopulmonary connection at ≤1 year of age, followed in subsequent years by Fontan completion. Patients with a pacemaker or respiratory exchange ratio <1 were excluded. Early and late Fontan groups were created on the basis of whether Fontan completion had been performed at <4 or ≥ 4 years of age. The primary predictor variable was age at Fontan completion, and the primary marker of exercise performance was the percentage of predicted maximum oxygen consumption. During the study period, 55 patients were identified (mean age, 11.7 ± 2.8 yr). Older age at Fontan completion correlated positively with higher percentages of predicted maximum oxygen consumption (R=0.286, P=0.034). Patients in whom Fontan completion was performed at ≥4 years of age had higher percentages of predicted maximum oxygen consumption than did those in whom completion was at <4 years of age (84.4 ± 21.5 vs 72.9 ± 18.1; P=0.041). Later Fontan completion might be associated with improved exercise capacity in patients palliated in accordance with contemporary surgical strategy.
authors.forename: Elijah H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Bolin
authors.forename: Shiraz A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Maskatia
authors.forename: Amanda L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Tate
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Petit
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D018729:Fontan Procedure; D006801:Humans; D018636:Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010166:Palliative Care; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Child, preschool; Fontan procedure/adverse effects; exercise test; heart defects, congenital/surgery; hemodynamics/physiology; hypoplastic left heart syndrome; longitudinal studies; oxygen consumption/physiology; physical exertion; postoperative complications; pulmonary circulation; retrospective studies; tricuspid atresia/surgery; vascular resistance