Linking world bank development indicators and outcomes of congenital heart surgery in low-income and middle-income countries: Retrospective analysis of quality improvement data

Objective Many low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) struggle to provide the health services investment required for life-saving congenital heart disease (CHD) surgery. We explored associations between risk-adjusted CHD surgical mortality from 17 LMICs and global development indices to identify patterns that might inform investment strategies. Design Retrospective analysis: country-specific standardised mortality ratios were graphed against global development indices reflective of wealth and healthcare investment. Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated. Setting and participants The International Quality Improvement Collaborative (IQIC) keeps a volunteer registry of outcomes of CHD surgery programmes in low-resource settings. Inclusion in the IQIC is voluntary enrolment by hospital sites. Patients in the registry underwent congenital heart surgery. Sites that actively participated in IQIC in 2013, 2014 or 2015 and passed a 10% data audit were asked for permission to share data for this study. 31 sites in 17 countries are included. Outcome measures In-hospital mortality: standardised mortality ratios were calculated. Risk adjustment for in-hospital mortality uses the Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery method, a model including surgical risk category, age group, prematurity, presence of a major non-cardiac structural anomaly and multiple congenital heart procedures during admission. Results The IQIC registry includes 24 917 congenital heart surgeries performed in children less than 18 years of age. The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 5.0%. Country-level congenital heart surgery standardised mortality ratios were negatively correlated with gross domestic product (GDP) per capita (r=-0.34, p=0.18), and health expenditure per capita (r=-0.23, p=0.37) and positively correlated with under-five mortality (r=0.60, p=0.01) and undernourishment (r=0.39, p=0.17). Countries with lower development had wider variation in mortality. GDP per capita is a driver of the association between some other measures and mortality. Conclusions Results display a moderate relationship among wealth, healthcare investment and malnutrition, with significant variation, including superior results in many countries with low GDP per capita. These findings provide context and optimism for investment in CHD procedures in low-resource settings. © 2019 BMJ Publishing Group Limited

Mechanical Mitral Valve Replacement: A Multicenter Study of Outcomes with Use of 15- to 17-mm Prostheses

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate early and mid-term outcomes (mortality and prosthetic valve reintervention) after mitral valve replacement with 15- to 17-mm mechanical pr

Impact of Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status on Outcomes Following First‐Stage Palliation of Single Ventricle Heart Disease

Background The impact of neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) on outcomes following first‐stage palliation of single ventricle heart disease remains incompletely characterized. Methods and Results This was a single‐center, retrospective review of consecutive patients who underwent the Norwood procedure from January 1, 1997 to November 11, 2017. Outcomes of interest included in‐hospital (early) mortality or transplant, postoperative hospital length‐of‐stay, inpatient cost, and postdischarge (late) mortality or transplant. The primary exposure was neighborhood SES, assessed using a composite score derived from 6 US census‐block group measures related to wealth, income, education, and occupation. Associations between SES and outcomes were assessed using logistic regression, generalized linear, or Cox proportional hazards models, adjusting for baseline patient‐related risk factors. Of 478 patients, there were 62 (13.0%) early deaths or transplants. Among 416 transplant‐free survivors at hospital discharge, median postoperative hospital length‐of‐stay and cost were 24 (interquartile range, 15–43) days and $295 000 (interquartile range,$193 000–$563 000), respectively. There were 97 (23.3%) late deaths or transplants. On multivariable analysis, patients in the lowest SES tertile had greater risk of early mortality or transplant (odds ratio [OR], 4.3 [95% CI, 2.0–9.4; P<0.001]), had longer hospitalizations (coefficient 0.4 [95% CI, 0.2–0.5; P<0.001]), incurred higher costs (coefficient 0.5 [95% CI, 0.3–0.7; P<0.001]), and had greater risk of late mortality or transplant (hazard ratio, 2.2 [95% CI, 1.3–3.7; P=0.004]), compared with those in the highest tertile. The risk of late mortality was partially attenuated with successful completion of home monitoring programs. Conclusions Lower neighborhood SES is associated with worse transplant‐free survival following the Norwood operation. This risk persists throughout the first decade of life and may be mitigated with successful completion of interstage surveillance programs

Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation for Pediatric Atrioventricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia: Impact of Age on Procedural Methods and Durable Success

Background Catheter‐based slow‐pathway modification (SPM) is the treatment of choice for symptomatic atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT). We sought to investigate the interactions between patient age and procedural outcomes in pediatric patients undergoing catheter‐based SPM for AVNRT. Methods and Results A retrospective cohort study was performed, including consecutive patients undergoing acutely successful SPM for AVNRT from 2008 to 2017. Those with congenital heart disease, cardiomyopathy, and accessory pathways were excluded. Patients were stratified by age quartile at time of SPM. The primary outcome was AVNRT recurrence. A total of 512 patients underwent successful SPM for AVNRT. Age quartile 1 had 129 patients with a median age and weight of 8.9 years and 30.6 kg, respectively. Radiofrequency energy was used in 98% of cases. Follow‐up was available in 447 (87%) patients with a median duration of 0.8 years (interquartile range, 0.2–2.5 years). AVNRT recurred in 22 patients. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard modeling identified atypical AVNRT (hazard ratio [HR], 5.83; 95% CI, 2.01–16.96; P=0.001), dual atrioventricular nodal only (HR, 4.09; 95% CI, 1.39–12.02; P=0.011), total radiofrequency lesions (HR, 1.06 per lesion; 95% CI, 1.01–1.12; P=0.032), and the use of a long sheath (HR, 3.52; 95% CI, 1.23–10.03; P=0.010) as predictors of AVNRT recurrence; quartile 1 patients were not at higher risk of recurrence (HR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.10–1.97; P=0.29). Complete heart block requiring permanent pacing occurred in one quartile 2 patient at 14.9 years of age. Conclusions Pediatric AVNRT can be treated with radiofrequency‐SPM with high procedural efficacy and minimal risk of complications, including heart block. Atypical AVNRT and dual atrioventricular nodal physiology without inducible tachycardia remain challenging substrates

Linking world bank development indicators and outcomes of congenital heart surgery in low-income and middle-income countries: Retrospective analysis of quality improvement data

"Objective Many low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) struggle to provide the health services investment required for life-saving congenital heart disease (CHD) surgery. We explored associations between risk-adjusted CHD surgical mortality from 17 LMICs and global development indices to identify patterns that might inform investment strategies. Design Retrospective analysis: country-specific standardised mortality ratios were graphed against global development indices reflective of wealth and healthcare investment. Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated. Setting and participants The International Quality Improvement Collaborative (IQIC) keeps a volunteer registry of outcomes of CHD surgery programmes in low-resource settings. Inclusion in the IQIC is voluntary enrolment by hospital sites. Patients in the registry underwent congenital heart surgery. Sites that actively participated in IQIC in 2013, 2014 or 2015 and passed a 10% data audit were asked for permission to share data for this study. 31 sites in 17 countries are included. Outcome measures In-hospital mortality: standardised mortality ratios were calculated. Risk adjustment for in-hospital mortality uses the Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery method, a model including surgical risk category, age group, prematurity, presence of a major non-cardiac structural anomaly and multiple congenital heart procedures during admission. Results The IQIC registry includes 24 917 congenital heart surgeries performed in children less than 18 years of age. The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 5.0%. Country-level congenital heart surgery standardised mortality ratios were negatively correlated with gross domestic product (GDP) per capita (r=-0.34, p=0.18), and health expenditure per capita (r=-0.23, p=0.37) and positively correlated with under-five mortality (r=0.60, p=0.01) and undernourishment (r=0.39, p=0.17). Countries with lower development had wider variation in mortality. GDP per capita is a driver of the association between some other measures and mortality. Conclusions Results display a moderate relationship among wealth, healthcare investment and malnutrition, with significant variation, including superior results in many countries with low GDP per capita. These findings provide context and optimism for investment in CHD procedures in low-resource settings. © 2019 BMJ Publishing Group Limited.