Publications by authors named "A Lorts"
Background: The Advanced Cardiac Therapies Improving Outcomes Network (ACTION) began in 2018 as a collaborative learning health system committed to improving outcomes in pediatric heart failure, including children and adults with congenital heart disease, supported with ventricular assist devices (VADs). This report describes patient and device characteristics, and outcomes through 1-year post-implant.
Methods: The ACTION VAD registry report was created from data submitted to the ACTION learning network from April 2018 to June 2023.
Background: With an increasing number of Fontan patients surviving into adulthood, the burden of end-stage heart failure is increasing. Prior studies have reported suboptimal heart transplantation (HTx) outcomes. Therefore, the authors describe their institutional experience of HTx in patients with Fontan circulation failure, including heart-liver transplantation (HLTx) and pretransplant systemic ventricular assist device (SVAD) therapies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: There are no contemporary reports that highlight the national outcomes for children with congenital heart disease (CHD) undergoing ventricular assist device (VAD) implantation.
Objectives: This study sought to evaluate differences in VAD outcomes for children with CHD to those with non-CHD as well as those with univentricular CHD to those with biventricular CHD.
Methods: Data for CHD and non-CHD patients from the multicenter ACTION (Advanced Cardiac Therapies Improving Outcomes Network) undergoing VAD implantation from April 2018 to February 2023 were included.
Malnutrition is common among paediatric heart failure patients, with nutritional rehabilitation critical for survival and optimal health outcomes. Ventricular assist devices have been associated with improved growth, though additional nutritional support may be needed. Here, we report the use of human milk-based fortifiers to avoid severe malnutrition in a neonate supported on a ventricular assist device until transplantation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Learning Health Networks (LHNs) have recently been integrated into transplantation, building on their two-decade evolution in medicine.
- This paper reviews three LHNs focused on end-stage organ disease and their ability to adapt quickly to challenges, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Key aspects include the importance of patient and family engagement, collaboration with Transplant Families, common challenges faced, and how LHNs can enhance knowledge sharing to improve pediatric transplantation outcomes.