Outcomes of children with congenital heart disease implanted with ventricular assist devices: An analysis of the Pediatric Interagency Registry for Mechanical Circulatory Support (Pedimacs).

Creator(s)

David M. Peng
Devin A. Koehl
Ryan S. Cantor
Kristen N. McMillan
Aliessa P. Barnes, Children's Mercy HospitalFollow
Patrick I. McConnell
Jessica Jordan
Nicholas D. Andersen
James D. St Louis, Children's Mercy Hospital
Katsuhide Maeda
James K. Kirklin
Steven J. Kindel

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-2019

Identifier

DOI: 10.1016/j.healun.2018.10.008; PMCID: PMC6449204

Abstract

Background: The reported ventricular assist device (VAD) experience in the pediatric congenital heart disease (CHD) population is limited. We sought to describe contemporary use and outcomes of VADs in children with CHD and compare these outcomes to those of non-CHD children.

Methods: Patients enrolled in the Pediatric Interagency Registry for Mechanical Circulatory Support (Pedimacs) between September 19, 2012 through June 30, 2017 were included. CHD was classified as biventricular vs single ventricle (Stages 1, 2, or 3). Outcomes were compared between groups and multivariable analysis was used to identify factors associated with mortality on the device.

Results: Among the 471 patients enrolled, 108 (24%) had CHD (45 biventricular and 63 single ventricle). CHD patients were younger (5.7 ± 5.7 years vs 9.8 ± 6.5 years; p < 0.0001) and smaller (0.8 ± 0.5 m2 vs 1.2 ± 0.7 m2; p < 0.0001) compared with non-CHD patients. CHD patients were more likely to receive a paracorporeal continuous-flow VAD (36.1% vs 12.9%; p < 0.0001) and less likely to receive an implantable continuous-flow VAD (27.8% vs 55.0%; p < 0.0001) compared with non-CHD patients. After 6 months on a VAD, CHD patients had higher mortality (36.4% vs 12.1%) and a lower transplantation rate (29.1% vs 59.9%) than non-CHD patients (p < 0.0001). In the multivariable analysis, CHD was the factor most strongly associated with mortality on VAD (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.9; p < 0.0001), whereas the factors implantable continuous-flow device and high-volume center were protective (HR = 0.3, p < 0.0001, and HR = 0.6, respectively; p = 0.02).

Conclusions: VAD use in children with CHD is associated with increased mortality and decreased transplant rates compared to children without CHD. For the subgroup of children with CHD who received implantable continuous-flow VADs, survival rates were higher and comparable to those of children without CHD. Increased experience correlated with better survival in pediatric VADs.

Journal Title

The Journal of heart and lung transplantation : the official publication of the International Society for Heart Transplantation

Volume

38

Issue

4

First Page

420

Last Page

430

MeSH Keywords

Adolescent; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Heart Defects, Congenital; Heart Diseases; Heart-Assist Devices; Humans; Infant; Male; Prospective Studies; Registries; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult

Keywords

congenital heart disease; heart failure; heart transplantation; outcomes; pediatric heart failure; pediatric heart transplantation; pediatrics; ventricular assist device

Comments

Grant support

• HHSN268201100025C/HL/NHLBI NIH HHS/United States

Recommended Citation

Peng DM, Koehl DA, Cantor RS, et al. Outcomes of children with congenital heart disease implanted with ventricular assist devices: An analysis of the Pediatric Interagency Registry for Mechanical Circulatory Support (Pedimacs) [published correction appears in J Heart Lung Transplant. 2020 Dec;39(12):1512-1514]. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2019;38(4):420-430. doi:10.1016/j.healun.2018.10.008