title: Early childhood language outcomes after arterial switch operation: a prospective cohort study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Developmental and language outcomes at 2 years of age of children who had arterial switch operation (ASO) for transposition of the great arteries 2004-2010 are described.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective cohort study, 91/98 (93 %) children who underwent ASO were assessed at 2 years of age with the Bayley Scales of Infant & Toddler Development-3rd Edition. Outcomes were compared by patient and perioperative variables using bivariate and multivariate regression analyses to identify predictors of language delay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Infants without ventricular septal defect (VSD) (n = 60) were more likely to be outborn (73 vs 58 %, p = 0.038), require septostomy (80 vs 58 %, p = 0.026), have a shorter cross clamp time (min) (62.7 vs 73.0, p = 0.019), and a lower day 1 post-operative plasma lactate (mmol/L) (3.9 vs 4.8, p = 0.010). There were no differences in cognitive, motor and language outcomes based on presence of a VSD. Language delay (<85) of 29 % was 1.8 times higher than the normative sample; risk factors for this in multivariate analyses included <12 years of maternal education (AOR 19.3, 95 % CI 2.5-148.0) and cross-clamp time ≥70 min (AOR 14.5, 95 % CI 3.1-68.5). Maternal education <12 years was associated with lower Language Composite Scores (-20.2, 95 % CI -32.3 to -9.1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Outcomes at 2 years of age in children who undergo ASO are comparable to the normative sample with the exception of language. There is a risk of language delay for which maternal education and cross-clamp duration are predictors. These findings suggest that focused post-operative early language interventions could be considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB Canada.
authors.forename: Matt S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hicks
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB Canada ; Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB Canada.
authors.forename: Reginald S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Sauve
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB Canada ; Pediatric Rehabilitation Outcomes Unit, Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Edmonton, AB Canada.
authors.forename: Charlene M T
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB Canada.
authors.forename: Ari R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Joffe
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB Canada.
authors.forename: Gwen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alton
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB Canada.
authors.forename: Dianne
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Creighton
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB Canada.
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB Canada ; Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB Canada.
authors.forename: Ivan M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Rebeyka
keywords: Child development; Cohort studies; Follow-up studies; Thoracic surgery; Transposition of great vessels