Clinical Trial: Longterm Outcome After Ventricular Septal Defect Closure

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Observational

Official Title: Cardiac Output During Exercise in Young Adults Operated for Ventricular Septal Defect as Children

Brief Summary:

Isolated ventricular septal defect (VSD) is a well know congenital heart anomaly. If discovered in infancy or early childhood surgical intervention can be of necessity depending on the size of the defect, to assure a healthy adulthood. The long-term results of surgical closure of VSD in childhood are good and after surgery the children are considered as equally healthy and physically fit as their peers. However, there is inconsistency in data regarding follow-up on this group of patients, in relation to exercise capacity as a measure of the cardiopulmonary function. To further approach this matter the post-operative cardiac factors of these patients have to be investigated.

With this study the investigators intend to examine the long-term outcome on cardiac output after heart surgery in VSD-patients. It presents an opportunity to also evaluate the correlation between cardiac output determined by gas-exchange and by MRI. The overall objectives of this study are to 1) examine whether VSD-operated patients have reduced cardiac output during exercise in comparison with matched controls, and furthermore 2) to evaluate a correlation between cardiac output measured by MRI and cardiac output determined by gas-exchange.

The project is designed as a long-term follow-up and method study. A cohort of 20 children who in the 1990's underwent surgical closure of a congenital VSD will be asked to participate in this study. An equal amount of healthy young adults, will function as control group. Each participant will complete two different exercise tests, a MRI of the heart during lower body exercise on a supine ergometer bicycle, and a Supine ergometer bicycle exercise test. This data can be used for comparing cardiac output between the test groups, and furthermore it allows an evaluation of the correlation between the two methods.

Detailed Summary:
Sponsor: University of Aarhus

Current Primary Outcome: Cardiac Output [ Time Frame: 20 years after VSD surgery ]

MRI measured: From obtained standard scout images of the heart and great vessels, flow measurement planes will be planned orthogonally to the ascending aorta and the pulmonary artery. MRI real-time flow will then be measured at different exercise levels orthogonally to the ascending aorta and pulmonary artery just above the level of the valves. Ascending aortic and pulmonary artery blood flow will be used to measure cardiac output in post-MRI analysis.

Gas-exchange measured: Using a supine ergometer cycle, the pulmonary ventilation and gas exchange will be measured breath-by-breath. End points are peak oxygen uptake, stroke volume, and cardiac output. Fick's principle will be used for estimating cardiac output.



Original Primary Outcome: Same as current

Current Secondary Outcome: Correlation [ Time Frame: 20 years after VSD surgery ]

Correlation between MRI measured cardiac output and gas-exchange measured cardiac output.


Original Secondary Outcome: Same as current

Information By: University of Aarhus

Dates:
Date Received: May 1, 2014
Date Started: March 2014
Date Completion:
Last Updated: September 12, 2016
Last Verified: September 2016