Severe Congenital Heart Defects Are Associated with Global Reduction of Neonatal Brain Volumes

Michael von Rhein; Andreas Buchmann; Cornelia Hagmann; Hitendu Dave; Vera Bernet; Ianina Scheer; Walter Knirsch; Beatrice Latal; Heart and Brain Research Group

doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2015.07.006

Severe Congenital Heart Defects Are Associated with Global Reduction of Neonatal Brain Volumes

J Pediatr. 2015 Dec;167(6):1259-63.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2015.07.006. Epub 2015 Jul 29.

Authors

Michael von Rhein¹, Andreas Buchmann², Cornelia Hagmann³, Hitendu Dave⁴, Vera Bernet⁵, Ianina Scheer⁶, Walter Knirsch⁷, Beatrice Latal⁸; Heart and Brain Research Group

Collaborators

Heart and Brain Research Group:
Vera Bernet, Christoph Bürki, Hitendu Dave, René Prêtre, Cornelia Hagmann, Walter Knirsch, Oliver Kretschmar, Christian Kellenberger, Ianina Scheer, Beatrice Latal, Rabia Liamlahi, Michael von Rhein, Barbara R Plecko, Felix H Sennhauser

Affiliations

¹ Child Development Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Developmental Pediatrics, SPZ, Kantonsspital Winterthur, Winterthur, Switzerland; Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.
² Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
³ Department of Neonatology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
⁴ Congenital Cardiovascular Surgery, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
⁵ Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Neonatology and Intensive Care, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
⁶ Diagnostic Imaging, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.
⁷ Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland; Cardiology, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.
⁸ Child Development Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.

PMID: 26233604
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2015.07.006

Abstract

Objectives: To determine neonatal global and regional brain volumes in infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) in comparison with healthy controls and to determine brain growth.

Study design: Prospective cohort study in infants undergoing open-heart surgery for complex CHD. Global and regional volumetric measurements on preoperative cerebral magnetic resonance imaging were manually segmented in children without overt brain lesions.

Results: Preoperative brain volumetry of 19 patients demonstrates reduction in total and regional brain volumes, without any specific regional predilection compared with 19 healthy control infants (total brain volume reduction: 21%, regional brain volume reduction 8%-28%, all P < .001).

Conclusions: Infants with CHD undergoing bypass surgery have smaller brain volumes prior to surgery without a specific regional predilection. This suggests a fetal origin of reduced brain growth.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Brain / growth & development*
Cohort Studies
Developmental Disabilities / etiology*
Female
Heart Defects, Congenital / complications*
Heart Defects, Congenital / surgery
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
Male
Prospective Studies
Switzerland