EMB is widely utilized for graft surveillance after HTx; however, there is significant variation in the frequency of surveillance EMB use during the first year post-HTx. The aim of this study was to assess changes in the utilization of surveillance EMB over time among member institutions of PHTS. A survey of PHTS centers assessing the frequency of surveillance EMB use during the first year post-HTx was conducted in 2006. The same survey was repeated in 2014 to assess changes in practice over time. The number of EMB in infants ranged from 0 to 9 and in adolescents 0 to 16. The number of EMB decreased or remained unchanged in the majority of centers. Fewer EMB are performed in infants compared to adolescents and this practice did not change over time. There was a significant decrease in surveillance EMB use in adolescents (p = 0.012). International centers perform significantly fewer EMB in adolescents when compared to centers within the United States (p = 0.006). There continues to be significant variation in the utilization of surveillance EMB, with a shift toward less reliance on EMB for adolescents in the current era. Further research is necessary to determine the optimal frequency of invasive monitoring that reduces costs without compromising outcomes.

These encouraging early results suggest that steroid-eluting epicardial pacing leads may be an attractive option for children needing epicardial pacing. Their excellent pacing and sensing characteristics may allow reliable dual-chamber pacing in infants who are too small for transvenous pacing.

Thirty two children (aged 5-19 years) with no clinical evidence of significant cardiovascular disease undertook continuous staged supine exercise on a bicycle ergometer. Multigated radionuclide ventriculography was performed at rest and during each exercise stage. Exercise duration and total workload both increased with age. Aerobic work correlated better with age than did total work. In most children the ejection fraction for both ventricles increased by at least 5% with exercise. Right ventricular ejection fraction did not decrease with exercise in any subject but left ventricular ejection fraction decreased by 2% and 9% in two. The response of end diastolic volume to exercise was variable, but there was a consistent decrease in mean (SD) end systolic volume of the left (29(22)%) and right (30(19)%) ventricles. Cardiac index (mean (SD)) increased by 234(65)% with exercise. The left ventricular:right ventricular end diastolic volume ratio (mean (SD)) at rest was 1.26(0.26). It is concluded that exercise radionuclide ventriculography is an excellent technique for a combined assessment of exercise capacity and an evaluation of ventricular size and performance in children. These values for supine bicycle exercise in children without significant cardiovascular disease will be useful for future comparisons with other groups.

No abstract

No abstract