G Giannakoulas1, K Vasiliadis2, A Frogoudaki3, C Ntellos4, A Tzifa5, S Brili6, A Manginas7, M Papaphylactou8, D Parcharidou9, N Kampouridis10, A Pitsis11, A Chamaidi12, M Kolios13, G Papadopoulos14, A Douras15, P Davlouros16, D Ntiloudi17, H Karvounis17, A Kalangos5, C Tsioufis6, S Rammos8. 1. Department of Cardiology, AHEPA University Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece. Electronic address: giannak@med.auth.gr. 2. Department of Cardiology, General Hospital "George Papanikolaou", Thessaloniki, Greece. 3. Second Cardiology Departent, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece. 4. Department of Cardiology, Tzaneio General Hospital of Piraeus, Athens, Greece. 5. Department of Congenital Heart Disease, Mitera Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece. 6. Department of Cardiology, Ippokrateion University Hospital, Athens, Greece. 7. Department of Cardiology, Mediterraneo Hospital, Athens, Greece. 8. Department of Pediatric Cardiology and ACHD, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece. 9. Department of Cardiology, Interbalkan Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece. 10. Department of Cardiology, General Hospital of Kavala, Kavala, Greece. 11. Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Saint Luke's Clinic, Thessaloniki, Greece. 12. Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece. 13. Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece. 14. Department of Pediatric Cardiology, General Children's Hospital "Pan. & Aglaia Kyriakou", Athens, Greece. 15. Department of Cardiology, Achillopouleio General Hospital, Volos, Greece. 16. Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of Patras, Patra, Greece. 17. Department of Cardiology, AHEPA University Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The majority of patients with congenital heart disease (CHD), nowadays, survives into adulthood and is faced with long-term complications. We aimed to study the basic demographic and clinical characteristics of adult patients with congenital heart disease (ACHD) in Greece. METHODS: A registry named CHALLENGE (Adult Congenital Heart Disease Registry. A registry from Hellenic Cardiology Society) was initiated in January 2012. Patients with structural CHD older than 16years old were enrolled by 16 specialized centers nationwide. RESULTS: Out of a population of 2115 patients with ACHD, who have been registered, (mean age 38years (SD 16), 52% women), 47% were classified as suffering from mild, 37% from moderate and 15% from severe ACHD. Atrial septal defect (ASD) was the most prevalent diagnosis (33%). The vast majority of ACHD patients (92%) was asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic (NYHA class I/II). The most symptomatic patients were suffering from an ASD, most often the elderly or those under targeted therapy for pulmonary arterial hypertension. Elderly patients (>60years old) accounted for 12% of the ACHD population. Half of patients had undergone at least one open-heart surgery, while 39% were under cardiac medications (15% under antiarrhythmic drugs, 16% under anticoagulants, 16% under medications for heart failure and 4% under targeted therapy for pulmonary arterial hypertension). CONCLUSIONS: ACHD patients are an emerging patient population and national prospective registries such as CHALLENGE are of unique importance in order to identify the ongoing needs of these patients and match them with the appropriate resource allocation.
BACKGROUND: The majority of patients with congenital heart disease (CHD), nowadays, survives into adulthood and is faced with long-term complications. We aimed to study the basic demographic and clinical characteristics of adult patients with congenital heart disease (ACHD) in Greece. METHODS: A registry named CHALLENGE (Adult Congenital Heart Disease Registry. A registry from Hellenic Cardiology Society) was initiated in January 2012. Patients with structural CHD older than 16years old were enrolled by 16 specialized centers nationwide. RESULTS: Out of a population of 2115 patients with ACHD, who have been registered, (mean age 38years (SD 16), 52% women), 47% were classified as suffering from mild, 37% from moderate and 15% from severe ACHD. Atrial septal defect (ASD) was the most prevalent diagnosis (33%). The vast majority of ACHD patients (92%) was asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic (NYHA class I/II). The most symptomatic patients were suffering from an ASD, most often the elderly or those under targeted therapy for pulmonary arterial hypertension. Elderly patients (>60years old) accounted for 12% of the ACHD population. Half of patients had undergone at least one open-heart surgery, while 39% were under cardiac medications (15% under antiarrhythmic drugs, 16% under anticoagulants, 16% under medications for heart failure and 4% under targeted therapy for pulmonary arterial hypertension). CONCLUSIONS: ACHD patients are an emerging patient population and national prospective registries such as CHALLENGE are of unique importance in order to identify the ongoing needs of these patients and match them with the appropriate resource allocation.
Authors: Wei Shi; Xinlei Sheng; Kerry M Dorr; Josiah E Hutton; James I Emerson; Haley A Davies; Tia D Andrade; Lauren K Wasson; Todd M Greco; Yutaka Hashimoto; Joel D Federspiel; Zachary L Robbe; Xuqi Chen; Arthur P Arnold; Ileana M Cristea; Frank L Conlon Journal: Dev Cell Date: 2021-10-15 Impact factor: 13.417