Zheng Guo¹, Li Xie², Ju Zhao³, Xing Hao³, Xiaotong Hou³, Wei Wang^1,*

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.19, No.4, pp. 341-350, 2024, DOI:10.32604/chd.2024.057403 - 31 October 2024

Abstract Background: With the decline of birth population and the development of medical technology in China, studies assessing how these changes have affected the adoption of congenital heart disease surgery at the national or regional scale are lacking. Methods: We investigated the status of congenital heart surgery in China in the period from 2017–2022, through investigation of the total rates of cardiac surgeries, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), adult congenital heart surgeries (CHS), and pediatric CHS (<18 years old), as recorded by the Extracorporeal Circulation Branch of the Chinese Society of Biomedical Engineering. Subsequently, we evaluated correlations between… More >

Laura Schianchi^1,*, Fabrizio Vaira², Massimo Chessa^1,3, Serena Francesca Flocco⁴, Arianna Magon⁴, Gianluca Conte⁴, Karina Geraldina Zuniga Olaya⁵, Giacomo Bortolussi⁶, Erika Cioffi¹, Matteo Riccardo Di Nicola², Santo Raffaele Mercuri², Rosario Caruso^4,7

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.19, No.4, pp. 363-374, 2024, DOI:10.32604/chd.2024.053999 - 31 October 2024

Abstract Background: Hypertrophic scars and keloids, common complications following median sternotomy for cardiac surgery, significantly impact patient quality of life due to their aesthetic and symptomatic burden. Recent advancements in laser therapy have made it a prominent option for managing these complex scars, yet a comprehensive understanding of its efficacy is lacking. The aim of this scoping review is to explore the effects of laser therapy in managing hypertrophic scars and keloids after median sternotomy. Methods: This scoping review analyzed studies up to February 2024 from databases including PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, and… More >

Ryan G. McQueen¹, Nikki M. Singh², Ronald K. Woods^3,*

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.19, No.3, pp. 257-266, 2024, DOI:10.32604/chd.2024.052108 - 26 July 2024

Abstract Objective: The objective of this study was to compare cardiac transplant operative and postoperative courses of patients with failed Fontan physiology who were initially palliated with a Norwood (FFN) to those without a prior Norwood (FF). Methods: A single-institution retrospective review of all patients with Fontan failure who underwent cardiac transplantation from 2003–2021 was completed—22 underwent prior Norwood (FFN) and 11 did not (FF). Descriptive and inferential statistics were calculated for operative course and patient outcomes. Results: The operative course of the FFN cohort appeared to be more complex (not statistically significant, but clinically relevant)—this group… More >

CHUNLING LIANG^1,#, JING CHEN^2,#, XIAOJIE CHEN¹, WEI YAN³, JIE YU^4,*

BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.7, pp. 1105-1113, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2024.050509 - 03 July 2024

Abstract Background: A differential gene, triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 (TREM1), was identified in blood sequencing datasets from myocardial infarction patients and healthy controls. Myocardial fibrosis following myocardial infarction significantly contributes to cardiac dysfunction. Objectives: This study aimed to unveil the intrinsic regulatory mechanism of TREM1 in myocardial fibrosis. Methods: Mimicking pathology by angiotensin II (Ang II) treatment of human cardiac fibroblasts (HCFs), the impacts of TREM1 knockdown on its proliferation, migration, and secretion of the pro-fibrotic matrix were identified. Using the Human Transcription Factor Database (HumanTFDB) website, lysine-specific demethylase 5B (KDM5B) was found to… More >

Xiaozhuo Xu^1,2, Yilin Huang^1,2, Xu Han^2,*

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.19, No.2, pp. 233-246, 2024, DOI:10.32604/chd.2024.050231 - 16 May 2024

Abstract Background: Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is one of the most challenging congenital heart diseases in clinical treatment. In cardiac tissues, resident macrophages fulfill critical functions in maintaining a stable cardiac state and have strong regenerative capacity and organ specificity. However, the molecular mechanisms of macrophages in HLHS remained unclear. Methods: Single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) data of HLHS and healthy control (donors) samples obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were normalized and clustered using the Seurat package. The “FindMarkers” function was used to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the HLHS and donor… More > Graphic Abstract

Fu Guan^1,*, Matthias Gass², Florian Berger², Heiko Schneider¹, Firat Duru^1,3, Thomas Wolber^1,3,*

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.19, No.1, pp. 85-92, 2024, DOI:10.32604/chd.2024.047266 - 20 March 2024

Abstract Aims: Although the application of ultrasound-guided vascular puncture and Z-stitch hemostasis to manage femoral access has been widely utilized, there is limited data on this combined application in adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) patients undergoing electrophysiological (EP) procedures. We sought to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ultrasound-guided puncture and postprocedural Z-stitch hemostasis for ACHD patients undergoing EP procedures. Methods and Results: The population of ACHD patients undergoing transfemoral EP procedures at the University of Zurich Heart Center between January 2019 and December 2022 was observed and analyzed. During the study period, femoral access (left/right, arterial/venous)… More >

Pier Paolo Bassareo^1,2,3,*, Aurelio Secinaro⁴, Paolo Ciliberti⁵, Massimo Chessa^6,7, Marco Alfonso Perrone^5,8, Kevin Patrick Walsh^1,2,3, Colin Joseph Mcmahon^2,3

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.18, No.6, pp. 595-610, 2023, DOI:10.32604/chd.2023.046229 - 19 January 2024

Abstract Background: Congenital absence of pericardium (CAP), also known as pericardial agenesis, represents an uncommon cardiac abnormality and mostly incidental finding. It can be subdivided into complete and partial (left or right-sided) forms. Because of its infrequency, just case reports and a few case series have been released so far. This paper represents the largest systematic review in the field. Nine features (age at diagnosis, type, gender, clinical presentation, electrocardiography, imaging (ultrasounds, CT/MRI), concomitant cardiac defects, and outcome) were analysed. Methods: The electronic database PubMed was investigated from its establishment up to July 15^th, 2023. Just case… More >

Elisa Listo^1,#, Nicola Martini^2,#, Stefano Salvadori³, Elisa Valenti³, Nicola Stagnaro¹, Gianluca Trocchio⁴, Chiara Marrone⁵, Alberto Clemente⁶, Francesca Raimondi^7,*, Pierluigi Festa⁵, Lamia Ait Ali^5,8,*

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.18, No.6, pp. 627-638, 2023, DOI:10.32604/chd.2023.030312 - 19 January 2024

Abstract Background: The assessment of Fontan circuit’s flow is traditionally evaluated by multiple through-plane phase-contrast MRI acquisitions (2D flow), while recently, a single volumetric 4D-flow MRI acquisition is emerging as a comprehensive tool for the hemodynamic evaluation in congenital heart diseases. Purpose: To compare 2D and 4D-flow MRI measurements in patients after Fontan palliation and to evaluate parameters affecting potential disagreement. Methods: 39 patients after Fontan palliation (23 males, age 22 ± 11 years) who underwent cardiac MRI with 2D and 4D-flow MRI acquisition were included in the study. In all patients, blood flow quantification in the… More > Graphic Abstract

Amr Mansour¹, Noha M. Gamal^2,*, Alaa M. Nady³, Amr Ibraheem³, Dalia M. Salah⁴, Khaled M. El-Maghraby²

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.18, No.6, pp. 679-691, 2023, DOI:10.32604/chd.2023.020028 - 19 January 2024

Abstract Background: Closure of an atrial septal defect (ASD) reduces right-side heart volumes by abolishing shunting with simultaneous improvement of the left ventricle (LV) filling and functions due to ventricular interdependence, thereby improving symptoms. Furthermore, studies conducted on atrial volume changes after ASD closure are limited. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is considered as the gold standard method for measuring cardiac volume and mass. Objective: We aimed to study the effect of transcatheter and surgical closure of secundum ASD on cardiac volumes and systolic functions as well as the fate of tricuspid regurgitation (TR), using CMR analysis. Methods:… More >

Mohamed Ammar^1,*, Hamed Al-Raweshidy^2,*

Journal on Artificial Intelligence, Vol.5, pp. 195-218, 2023, DOI:10.32604/jai.2023.045199 - 29 December 2023

Abstract Despite advances in intelligent medical care, difficulties remain. Due to its complicated governance, designing, planning, improving, and managing the cardiac system remains difficult. Oversight, including intelligent monitoring, feedback systems, and management practises, is unsuccessful. Current platforms cannot deliver lifelong personal health management services. Insufficient accuracy in patient crisis warning programmes. No frequent, direct interaction between healthcare workers and patients is visible. Physical medical systems and intelligent information systems are not integrated. This study introduces the Advanced Cardiac Twin (ACT) model integrated with Artificial Neural Network (ANN) to handle real-time monitoring, decision-making, and crisis prediction. THINGSPEAK… More >