The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine the interrelationships between health status and measures of cardiac performance in children 6 to 18 years of age with congenital heart disease who have undergone a Fontan procedure as surgical treatment for functional single ventricle. The goal was to develop a data set that will permit identification of a clinically relevant endpoint for subsequent trials of medical management of the Fontan patient.

BACKGROUND:

Children born with one functional ventricle and who undergo a Fontan procedure, have a higher incidence of late complications than other congenital heart patients. While the Fontan procedure results in restoring near-normal systemic oxygen saturation, there are recognized problems and little information about the overall health status, functional status and ventricular performance in these children.

DESIGN NARRATIVE:

This cross-sectional observational study included children 6-18 years of age who had undergone a Fontan procedure for a congenital cardiac defect. Prospective data collection for each patient occured within a 3 month time period and included cardiac MRI, echocardiography, serology and exercise testing. Historical clinical and surgical data, as well as parent and child self reports of health status, was collected.

Inclusion Criteria

• Age 6 through 18 years at the time of enrollment.

• Fontan surgery of any type at least 6 months prior to the time of testing.

• Agreement and ability to have all of the following testing completed:

  1. An echocardiogram at the study center,
  2. Parent health status questionnaire, and
  3. Blood testing.

• Planned or ongoing cardiac care at the study center that will allow completion of study testing within 3 months of study enrollment.

• Informed consent of a parent or guardian, and assent of the study participant if he/she is able to provide it, according to institutional guidelines.

Exclusion Criteria

• Non-cardiac medical or psychiatric disorder that would prevent successful completion of planned study testing or would invalidate the results of study testing.
• Ongoing or planned participation in another research protocol that would either prevent successful completion of planned study testing or invalidate the results of study testing.
• Lack of reading fluency by the primary caregiver in both English and Spanish, languages for which the parental report health status questionnaire has been validated.
• Pregnancy at the time of enrollment or pregnancy planned prior to completion of study testing.

Subjects must have had Fontan surgery of any type at least 6 months prior to the time of testing