Feasibility of Treat and Repair Strategy in Congenital Heart Defects With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Background: A treatment strategy for congenital heart defects with moderate to severe pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) has not been established.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify patients in whom a treat and repair strategy was considered and to examine pretreatment variables associated with successful defect repair.

Methods: Patients with atrial or ventricular septal defect and PAH (pulmonary vascular resistance [PVR] ≥ 5 Wood units) eligible for the treat and repair strategy were included. Hemodynamics among pretreatment, pre-repair, and post-defect repair were compared. Clinical outcomes in patients with or without defect repair were also compared. Clinical outcomes included all-cause death, hospitalization for worsening pulmonary hypertension, and lung transplantation.

Results: Among 25 eligible for the treat and repair strategy, 20 underwent successful repair (repaired group) and 5 did not have a repair (unrepaired group). In the repaired group, PVR significantly decreased from 9.6 ± 2.6 WU at pretreatment to 5.0 ± 3.4 pre-repair (ß coefficient -4.6 [95% CI: -5.9 to -3.3]). The pulmonary to systemic blood flow ratio (Qp/Qs) increased from 1.5 ± 0.6 at pretreatment to 2.4 ± 1.3 pre-repair (ß coefficient 0.9 [95% CI: 0.4-1.38]). In the unrepaired group, pretreatment PVR decreased with treatment; however, PVR remained elevated. Qp/Qs did not change between pretreatment and post-treatment. The repaired group had a better prognosis than the unrepaired group (HR 0.092 [95% CI: 0.009-0.905]). Pretreatment mean pulmonary artery pressure, PVR, Qp/Qs, and arterial oxygen saturations were associated with undergoing defect repair.

Conclusions: In this small cohort, a treat and repair strategy was successfully used in a significant proportion of the patients with congenital heart defects with moderate to severe PAH.