Cyanotic heart defects in children: neurological aspects of the problem

Abstract

Background. The goal is to justify the need to monitor neurodevelopment in children with congenital heart defects (CHD) and to study neurological disorders in patients under 3 years of age with cyanotic heart defects. Materials and methods. Modern research on the neurodevelopment of children with CHD were analyzed. Sixty-two patients with cyanotic heart defects who underwent examination and surgical treatment at the Center for Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine were studied. They are divided into 2 groups: group 1 are children with critical cyanotic CHD and group 2 — with non-critical cyanotic CHD. The control group consisted of 35 healthy patients. A neurological examination was performed using standardized neurological scales. Data processing was carried out using the Stata 12.1 licensed statistical package. Results. Neurodevelopmental disorders were diagnosed in 33 (53 %) of 62 children with cyanotic CHD: in group 1 — in 29 % of cases and in group 2 — in 24 %. These groups were statistically homogeneous in terms of gestational age (p = 0.492) and body weight at birth, with no significant difference from the control group. Older age is characterized mainly by delays in the stages of motor development (16 % in group 1 and 15 % in group 2) and speech disorders (7 % in group 1 and 3 % in group 2). Acute disorders of cerebral circulation (6 % in group 2) and the presence of epileptic seizures (up to 3 %) were characteristic of children under 1 year. Apgar score was lower in patients with critical cyanotic CHD with neurodevelopmental delay and a longer duration of artificial circulation during surgical treatment. Conclusions. 1. Neurological disorders were diagnosed in 53 % of patients with cyanotic heart defects: in 29 % with critical heart defects and 24 % with non-critical heart defects. 2. Older children are characterized mainly by delays in the stages of motor development and speech disorders. Behavioral disorders are more typical for children with non-critical CHD. Acute disorders of cerebral circulation and the presence of epileptic seizures were characteristic of children under 1 year of age. 3. The influence of body weight and gestational age on neurodevelopmental disorders is excluded. The severe state of children with neurodevelopmental delay at birth and an increase in the duration of artificial circulation during surgical treatment were found. 4. Interdisciplinary examination of patients with cyanotic heart defects, including examination by a pediatric neurologist, as well as a follow-up is necessary for timely referral to the next stages of rehabilitation.