Interatrial Communications: Prevalence and Subtypes in 12,385 Newborns-a Copenhagen Baby Heart Study.

The prevalence of interatrial communications in newborns, i.e., patent foramen ovale or atrial septal defect, was previously reported to be between 24 and 92%, but the area has been impeded by lack of a universal classification method.

Left Ventricular Noncompaction in Childhood: Echocardiographic Follow-Up and Prevalence in First-Degree Relatives.

Background: Left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) is characterized by excessive trabeculations of the left ventricular (LV) wall.

Objectives: The authors aimed to examine changes in LV function and morphology in 2 to 4-year-old children with and without LVNC at birth and to describe the prevalence of LVNC in first-degree relatives.

Methods: Echocardiograms in children with and without LVNC (matched 1:4) were performed at 2 to 4 years and in first-degree relatives.

The Prevalence and Spontaneous Closure of Ventricular Septal Defects the First Year of Life.

Introduction: Ventricular septal defect (VSD) is one of the most common congenital heart defects. We aimed to determine the prevalence of VSD in a population-based cohort of newborns and assess the rate of spontaneous closure during the first 12 months of life.

Methods: The Copenhagen Baby Heart Study (CBHS) is a population-based cohort study, including more than 25,000 newborns born in the greater Copenhagen area.

The Neonatal QRS Complex and Its Association with Left Ventricular Mass.

To evaluate QRS complex features during the first month of life and the association with echocardiographic measurements of left ventricular mass in neonates. Prospective cohort study of neonates with electrocardiography (ECG) and echocardiography performed during the first month of life. Left ventricular mass index (LVMI) was determined by echocardiography and the correlation with electrocardiographic markers of LVMI outliers (≥ 98th percentile) were analyzed.

Impact of maternal age and body mass index on the structure and function of the heart in newborns: a Copenhagen Baby Heart Study.

Background: Maternal obesity and advanced age have been associated with an increased risk of structural congenital heart defects in the offspring. Whether these factors may also cause abnormalities in infant cardiac dimension and function is unknown. This study investigates whether maternal body mass index (BMI) and maternal age are associated with changes in left ventricular (LV) dimensions and function in the newborn.

The Impact of Maternal and Perinatal Factors on the Neonatal Electrocardiogram.

Introduction: Myocardial development is still transitioning by the time of birth making the cardiomyocyte vulnerable to maternal and perinatal factors. We aimed at investigating the impact of maternal and perinatal factors on the neonatal electrocardiogram.

Methods: In a prospective cohort study, neonates underwent cardiac evaluation with electrocardiograms and echocardiograms (age 0-30 days).

Electrocardiographic Characteristics in 438 Neonates with Atrial Septal Defects.

Arrhythmias and electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities are common among patients with atrial septal defects (ASDs). We studied a large cohort of neonates with ASDs to investigate whether ECG abnormalities are present at this early stage or develop later, secondary to hemodynamic changes. We analyzed the echocardiograms and ECGs from the Copenhagen Baby Heart Study, a population-based cohort study.

Electrocardiographic characteristics of newborns with ventricular septal defects: a Copenhagen Baby Heart Study.

Ventricular septal defects (VSD) represent the most common congenital heart defect in newborns. We assessed the electrocardiographic characteristics of newborns with VSDs in a general population sample. The Copenhagen Baby Heart Study is a prospective population-based cohort study offering cardiac evaluation of newborns.

Significance of lipids, lipoproteins, and apolipoproteins during the first 14-16 months of life.

Background And Aims: The aims of this study were to investigate lipid parameters during the first 14-16 months of life, to identify influential factors, and to test whether high concentrations at birth predict high concentrations at 2- and 14-16 months.

Methods: The Copenhagen Baby Heart Study, including 13,354 umbilical cord blood samples and parallel venous blood samples from children and parents at birth (n = 444), 2 months (n = 364), and 14-16 months (n = 168), was used.

Results: Concentrations of lipids, lipoproteins, and apolipoproteins in umbilical cord blood samples correlated highly with venous blood samples from newborns.

The Wolff-Parkinson-White pattern in neonates: results from a large population-based cohort study.

Aims: Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome is a conduction disorder characterized by an accessory electrical pathway between the atria and ventricles, which may predispose to supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) and sudden cardiac death. It can be seen as an isolated finding or associated with structural heart disease. Our aims were to determine the prevalence of a WPW pattern in a large and unselected cohort of neonates and to describe the electro- and echocardiographic characteristics as well as the natural history during early childhood.

Atrial Septal Defect: Larger Right Ventricular Dimensions and Atrial Volumes as Early as in the First Month After Birth-a Case-Control Study Including 716 Neonates.

Atrial septal defect (ASD) is characterized by a left-to-right shunt causing dilatation of the right atrium and right ventricle as well as pulmonary hyperperfusion. The detection of ASDs often occurs late in childhood or adulthood. Little is known about cardiac structure and function in neonates with ASD.

Age-Related Prevalence of Open Ductus Arteriosus in Full-Term Newborns.

Background: The ductus arteriosus is part of the fetal circulation. Normally, the vessel closes during the cardiac transition. Delayed closure is associated with complications.

Normative Echocardiographic Left Ventricular Parameters and Reference Intervals in Infants.

Background: In pediatric echocardiography, reference intervals are required to distinguish normal variation from pathology. Left ventricular (LV) parameters are particularly important predictors of clinical outcome. However, data from healthy newborns are limited, and current reference intervals provide an inadequate approximation of normal reference ranges.

Cardiac findings in newborn twins.

Aims: To evaluate cardiac findings in newborn twins from the general population and investigate if newborn twins may require systematic evaluation of cardiac parameters.

Methods: Prospective cohort study of newborns with cardiac evaluation performed during the first month of life. Cardiac findings were compared 1:3 with matched singletons.

Markers of Kidney Function in Early Childhood and Association With Maternal Comorbidity.

Importance: Kidney functional capacity is low at birth but doubles during the first 2 weeks of life and reaches near-adult levels at age 1 to 2 years. Existing reference intervals for markers of kidney function in newborns are mostly based on preterm newborns, newborns with illness, or small cohorts of term newborns, and the consequences of maternal comorbidities for newborn kidney function are sparsely described.

Objective: To establish robust reference intervals for creatinine and urea in healthy children in early childhood and to assess whether maternal comorbidity is associated with newborn creatinine and urea concentrations.

A novel algorithm for classification of interatrial communications within the oval fossa in the newborn.

Background: An interatrial communication is present in most neonates. The majority are considered the "normal" patency of the oval foramen, while a minority are abnormal atrial septal defects. Differentiation between the two with transthoracic echocardiography may be challenging, and no generally accepted method of classification is presently available.

Red blood cell parameters in early childhood: a prospective cohort study.

Objectives: Red blood cell parameters are frequently used biomarkers when assessing clinical status in newborns and in early childhood. Cell counts, amounts, and concentrations of these parameters change through gestation and after birth. Robust age-specific reference intervals are needed to optimize clinical decision making.

Maternal Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy and Cardiac Structure and Function in the Newborn.

Background: Maternal hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDPs) are strongly associated with offspring congenital heart defects.

Objectives: This study assessed whether infants exposed to maternal HDPs were also more likely to have subtle cardiac structural and functional abnormalities than unexposed infants.

Methods: We used regression analyses to compare: 1) left ventricular parameters from conventional echocardiography performed in infants from the Copenhagen Baby Heart Study born to mothers with preeclampsia, gestational hypertension (GH), or no HDP; and 2) advanced echocardiographic parameters for 545 term infants born to mothers with preeclampsia and 545 matched infants not exposed to HDPs.

Prevalence of Left Ventricular Noncompaction in Newborns.

Background: Left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) is characterized by excessive trabeculations of the LV and may be associated with reduced systolic function or severe adverse outcomes. Several aspects remain to be elucidated; there is controversy to whether LVNC cardiomyopathy is a distinct cardiomyopathy caused by failure of the spongy fetal myocardium to condense during fetal development or acquired later in life as a morphological trait associated with other types of cardiomyopathy; the prevalence in unselected populations is unknown and the distinction between normal variation and pathology remains to be defined. In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of LVNC and the association to LV systolic function in a large, population-based cohort of neonates.

Prevalence of Bicuspid Aortic Valve and Associated Aortopathy in Newborns in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Importance: The prevalence and characteristics of bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) are mainly reported from selected cohorts. BAV is associated with aortopathy, but it is unclear if it represents a fetal developmental defect or is secondary to abnormal valve dynamics.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of BAV and BAV subtypes and to describe the associated aortopathy in a large, population-based cohort of newborns.

Myocardial Ischemia Induced by 5-Fluorouracil: A Prospective Electrocardiographic and Cardiac Biomarker Study.

Background: Cardiotoxicity induced by 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is well known but poorly understood. In this study, we undertook ECG recording (Holter) and analyses of the biomarkers troponin and copeptin in patients receiving 5-FU to increase our understanding of the cardiotoxicity.

Subjects, Materials, And Methods: Patients with colorectal or anal cancer that received first-time treatment with 5-FU-based chemotherapy were prospectively included.

Defining the normal QT interval in newborns: the natural history and reference values for the first 4 weeks of life.

Aims: Evaluation of the neonatal QT interval is important to diagnose arrhythmia syndromes and evaluate side effects of drugs. We aimed at describing the natural history of the QT interval duration during the first 4 weeks of life and to provide reference values from a large general population sample.

Methods And Results: The Copenhagen Baby Heart Study is a prospective general population study that offered cardiac evaluation of newborns.