Helene Werner1, Beatrice Latal2, Emanuela Valsangiacomo Buechel3, Ingrid Beck4, Markus A Landolt5. 1. Department of Psychosomatics and Psychiatry, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. 2. Child Development Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. 3. Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Cardiology, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. 4. Child Development Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. 5. Department of Psychosomatics and Psychiatry, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To determine health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in 1-year-old infants with congenital heart disease (CHD), to follow-up with these children at age 4 years, and to examine predictors of HRQoL. STUDY DESIGN: Parents of 144 infants who had undergone cardiopulmonary bypass surgery for CHD before age 6 months were prospectively included in this cohort study. Parents completed a standardized questionnaire on child HRQoL at 1 year and 4 years of age; medical data were extracted from the patients' hospital records. RESULTS: Parents reported a significant reduction of the children's physical functioning compared with healthy controls at age 1 year. At age 4 years, children with CHD had poorer cognitive functioning but better social functioning compared with healthy controls. Lower HRQoL at age 4 years was not significantly predicted by univentricular or biventricular CHD but was predicted by the presence of an underlying genetic defect, tube feeding at 1 year, and lower HRQoL at 1 year. CONCLUSION: This study shows that HRQoL of infants and preschool-age children with CHD is impaired in physical and cognitive dimensions. Children with lower overall HRQoL at age 1 year, an underlying genetic defect, and tube feeding need to be monitored carefully to provide appropriate and timely interventions.
OBJECTIVES: To determine health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in 1-year-old infants with congenital heart disease (CHD), to follow-up with these children at age 4 years, and to examine predictors of HRQoL. STUDY DESIGN: Parents of 144 infants who had undergone cardiopulmonary bypass surgery for CHD before age 6 months were prospectively included in this cohort study. Parents completed a standardized questionnaire on child HRQoL at 1 year and 4 years of age; medical data were extracted from the patients' hospital records. RESULTS: Parents reported a significant reduction of the children's physical functioning compared with healthy controls at age 1 year. At age 4 years, children with CHD had poorer cognitive functioning but better social functioning compared with healthy controls. Lower HRQoL at age 4 years was not significantly predicted by univentricular or biventricular CHD but was predicted by the presence of an underlying genetic defect, tube feeding at 1 year, and lower HRQoL at 1 year. CONCLUSION: This study shows that HRQoL of infants and preschool-age children with CHD is impaired in physical and cognitive dimensions. Children with lower overall HRQoL at age 1 year, an underlying genetic defect, and tube feeding need to be monitored carefully to provide appropriate and timely interventions.
Keywords:
CHD; Congenital heart disease; HRQoL; Health-related quality of life; Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research Academic Medical Centre Preschool Children Quality of Life; SES; Socioeconomic status; TAPQOL