Exercise performance in children and adolescents after the Ross procedure

Abstract

In the majority of patients following the Ross procedure, exercise performance is stable and within the normal range of a healthy age and sex matched population, despite sedentary lifestyles and increased adiposity.

Exercise Stress Echocardiography After Childhood Ross Surgery: Functional Outcome in 26 Patients From a Single Institution

“…The majority of patients in this cohort had normal exercise capacity (87%), and 31% reached above-average values for age after open heart surgery for aortic valve disease. This outcome is somewhat better than the one reported in the only previous pediatric study we could find in the literature [14]. A possible reason is the longer duration of follow-up (median 4.2 years) in our series compared with 1.5 years in the previous study [14].…”

“…This outcome is somewhat better than the one reported in the only previous pediatric study we could find in the literature [14]. A possible reason is the longer duration of follow-up (median 4.2 years) in our series compared with 1.5 years in the previous study [14]. The additional follow-up time may have allowed time for reconditioning of the patients and for reverse remodeling of the heart.…”

“…One study studied children for B30 months after Ross surgery using bicycle stress testing without imaging [14]. Exercise capacity improved after surgery but was still lower than expected.…”

Quality-of-Life Concerns Differ Among Patients, Parents, and Medical Providers in Children and Adolescents With Congenital and Acquired Heart Disease

“…Health-related QoL reflects the impact of specific illness, medical therapy, and health services policy on patient functioning in important situational contexts (eg, family, school, and peer). Given the potential deleterious effects of pediatric HD on exercise capacity and the interactions of the cardiac and respiratory systems during exercise, 3,30,31 it is not surprising that physical limitation was the most commonly identified item by all focus groups. It is also not surprising that the items identified beyond physical limitations in the focus groups were different between patients or parents and health care providers.…”

Exercise Testing and Training in Children With Congenital Heart Disease

“…28,37,[65][66][67][68][69][70] Residual hemodynamic lesions certainly account for some of this phenomenon. However, it has been observed that children with CHD often lead relatively sedentary lifestyles, perhaps on account of restrictions imposed on them by physicians, parents, teachers, coaches, or the children themselves.…”