Usefulness of the mitral valve Z score in predicting the need to close moderate- to large-sized atrial septal defects in infants with aortic coarctation.

Left ventricular anatomic substrates predisposing the development of congestive heart failure in infants with atrial left-to-right shunting after aortic coarctation repair were characterized. Mitral valve, but not aortic or left ventricular, hypoplasia correlated with the development of heart failure and the need for atrial defect closure shortly after coarctation repair.