Psychiatric morbidity and work participation in patients with congenital ventricular septal defects: a case-controlled study.

Background: The burden of psychiatric morbidity, level of education, and work participation are currently unknown in patients with congenital ventricular septal defects (VSD).

Methods And Results: In a Danish population-based cohort study using nationwide medical registries, the burden of psychiatric disorders, use of psychotropic agents, level of education, and work participation were examined in patients with isolated congenital VSD and controls from the general population matched by age and sex. Subjects with known chromosomal abnormalities were excluded.

Risk of permanent social security benefits and overview of work participation among patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

Background: In this nationwide study, we used Danish population registries to estimate the excess risk of receiving permanent social security benefits for patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and to track their labour force participation.

Methods: We identified all Danish citizens receiving a diagnosis of OSA between 1995 and 2015. As a reference cohort, we randomly selected 10 citizens for each patient, matched by sex and birth year.

School performance is impaired in children with both simple and complex congenital heart disease.

Background: We do not know if children born with a simple or uncorrected congenital heart disease (CHD) have school performance issues and an increased need for special education compared to healthy peers. With this study we examine the school performance and the need for special education in children with both simple and complex CHD. Further, we evaluate if exposure to preeclampsia or smoking affects the need for special education.

Lifetime Burden of Morbidity in Patients With Isolated Congenital Ventricular Septal Defect.

Background The lifetime burden of morbidity in patients with isolated congenital ventricular septal defect (VSD) is not completely described. Methods and Results In a population-based cohort study in Denmark using nationwide medical registries, we included 8006 patients diagnosed with a congenital VSD before 2018 along with 79 568 randomly selected controls from the general Danish population matched by birth year and sex. Concomitant congenital cardiac malformations and chromosomal abnormalities were excluded.

Survival of patients with congenital ventricular septal defect.

Aims: The long-term survival of patients with isolated congenital ventricular septal defect (VSD) is not well described. The aim of this study was to describe the survival of a national cohort of patients with VSD compared with the general population.

Methods And Results: Using Danish nationwide medical registries, all patients diagnosed with congenital VSD (n = 9,136) in the period 1977-2018 were included.

Increased inflammatory markers in adult patients born with an atrial septal defect.

Patients with atrial septal defect (ASD) have higher mortality and higher risk of atrial fibrillation, heart failure, pneumonia, and stroke than the general population even if the ASD closes spontaneously in childhood. The reason for the long-term complications remains unknown. Since many of the complications can be linked up with alterations in inflammatory response, we speculate that inflammation may contribute to the association between ASD and morbidity and mortality.

Pre-eclampsia is associated with increased neurodevelopmental disorders in children with congenital heart disease.

Aims: Our primary aim was to examine whether exposure to pre-eclampsia increases the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children born with congenital heart disease (CHD). Our secondary aim was to evaluate whether CHD and pre-eclampsia may act in synergy and potentiate this risk.

Method And Results: Using population-based registries, we included all Danish children born with CHD between 1994 and 2017.

Comparison of Outcome in Patients With Familial Versus Spontaneous Atrial Septal Defect.

Patients with atrial septal defects (ASDs) have increased mortality and morbidity. This can only partly be explained by hemodynamic changes caused by the ASD, suggesting additional underlying causes. Patients with an ASD have an increased burden of pathogenic gene variants in ASD-related genes, indicating genetics as an important factor in etiology.

Risk of Lifetime Psychiatric Morbidity in Adults With Atrial Septal Defect (from a Nation-Wide Cohort).

In this nation-wide cohort study we report the first long-term results of the association between having a atrial septal defects (ASD) on psychiatric disorders and use of psychotropic agents. Through population-based registries we included Danish individuals born before 1994 who received an ASD diagnosis between 1959and 2013. We used Cox proportional hazards regression and Fine and Grey competing risk regression to estimate the risk of receiving a psychiatric diagnosis and use of psychotropic medicine compared with a gender and age matched background population cohort.

Pacemaker and conduction disturbances in patients with atrial septal defect.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of pacemaker and conduction disturbances in patients with atrial septal defects.

Design: All patients with an atrial septal defect born before 1994 were identified in the Danish National Patient Registry, and 297 patients were analysed for atrioventricular block, bradycardia, right bundle branch block, left anterior fascicular block, left posterior fascicular block, pacemaker, and mortality. Our results were compared with pre-existing data from a healthy background population.

Pregnancy outcome in women with atrial septal defect: associated with in vitro fertilisation and pre-eclampsia.

Objective: To investigate in vitro fertilisation (IVF) in women with atrial septal defect (ASD), and to examine the maternal characteristics and outcome of pregnancy, as well as the fetal outcome of infants born by women with ASD.

Methods: We used population-based registries in this nationwide cohort study, including Danish individuals born before 1994 who received an ASD diagnosis between 1959 and 2014. Patients were compared with a random reference sample (ratio of 10 citizens per patient) matched by sex and age.

Effect of Atrial Septal Defect in Adults on Work Participation (from a Nation Wide Register-Based Follow-Up Study Regarding Work Participation and Use of Permanent Social Security Benefits).

Low work participation is well known in patients with chronic disease but has not been described in patients with atrial septal defect (ASD). In this nation-wide cohort study, we report the first long-term follow-up of use of permanent social security benefits and work participation in adults with ASD. All Danes born before 1994 and diagnosed with ASD from 1959 to 2013 (n = 2,277) were identified from the Danish medical registries.

Hidden burden of arrhythmias in patients with small atrial septal defects: a nationwide study.

Background: In recent Danish nationwide register-based study, adults with small, unrepaired atrial septal defects (ASD) have increased risk of pneumonia, atrial fibrillation (AF) and stroke. Moreover, they revealed higher mortality than the background population.

Objective: In this nationwide study, we evaluate the hidden burden of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias in adult patients with a small, unrepaired ASD without a previous diagnosis of AF.

Small atrial septal defects are associated with psychiatric diagnoses, emotional distress, and lower educational levels.

Objective: For the first time, we wish to assess the psychiatric burden in adult patients living with small, unrepaired atrial septal defects (ASD) using register-based data, combined with self-reported measures on levels emotional distress and educational status.

Design: A descriptive study using both the unique Danish registries and validated psychiatric questionnaires and scales, including: The Symptom Checklist, Whiteley-7, and Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire.

Patients: Adult patients with small, unrepaired ASD, diagnosed between 1953 and 2011.

The Burden of Migraine in Adults with Atrial Septal Defect: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

We aimed to investigate migraine diagnoses in a hospital setting, use of prescription migraine medicine and levels of serotonin in patients with atrial septal defect. Using Danish national registries to identify all patients born before 1994 diagnosed with atrial septal defect between 1959 and 2013, thus including 2277 patients and a gender and age matched comparison cohort of 22756. Plasma serotonin was measured in 136 patients with a small, unclosed, atrial septal defects and 18 controls.

Biventricular contractility during exercise in adults with small, unrepaired atrial septal defects.

Background: Adult patients with a small, unrepaired atrial septal defect (ASD) have higher mortality and increased risk of several comorbidities compared to general population. Further, reduced submaximal and peak exercise capacity was recently demonstrated in these patients. The mechanisms behind these findings remain unexplained and, therefore, biventricular contractility during exercise was assessed by evaluating the force-frequency relationship in the same group of patients.

Lifelong burden of small unrepaired atrial septal defect: Results from the Danish National Patient Registry.

Background: Adult patients with small, unrepaired atrial septal defects (ASD) have higher late mortality than the background population. In this nationwide study, we characterize the late natural history of adults with small, unrepaired ASD.

Methods: Using the Danish National Patient Registry, we included all Danish patients, diagnosed between 1953 and 2011 with an unrepaired ASD.

Small unrepaired atrial septal defects display impaired exercise capacity compared with healthy peers.

Objective: Adult patients with small, unrepaired atrial septal defects have an increased risk of pneumonia, atrial fibrillation, and stroke. Furthermore, they have higher late mortality than the background population. The functional capacity is unknown in these patients.

Long-term mortality in patients with atrial septal defect: a nationwide cohort-study.

Aims: In this nationwide cohort of atrial septal defect (ASD) patients, the largest to date, we report the longest follow-up time with and without closure in childhood and adulthood compared with a general population cohort.

Methods And Results: Using population-based registries, we included Danish individuals born before 1994 who received an ASD diagnosis between 1959 and 2013. All diagnoses were subsequently validated (n = 2277).

Permanent chronotropic impairment after closure of atrial or ventricular septal defect.

Objectives: Atrial and ventricular septal defects are commonly closed surgically with low rates of post-operative morbidity, and the long-term outcome has widely been described as benign. Nevertheless, there is an increasing understanding of late morbidity, and the possibility of postoperative chronotropic impairment is continuously questioned. Furthermore, potentially abnormal chronotropic responses may be associated with the recently demonstrated overrepresentation of late arrhythmias.

Impaired ventilatory efficiency after closure of atrial or ventricular septal defect.

Objectives: Atrial and ventricular septal defects are the most common congenital heart defects and the closing procedures share important similarities. Generally, the postoperative outcome is considered benign, but there is growing concern regarding late ventilatory function. Therefore, the aim of this review was to describe the ventilatory function in patients with open as well as percutaneously or surgically closed atrial and ventricular septal defects.

The effect of the aortic valve orientation on cavitation.

When implanting a mechanical aortic valve the annulus orientation is important with respect to turbulence. However, the effect on cavitation has not yet been investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate how cavitation is influenced hereof in vivo.

Long-Term Risk of Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke in Patients With Atrial Septal Defect Diagnosed in Childhood.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) and stroke in patients with atrial septal defect (ASD) diagnosed before the age of 18 years. Patients diagnosed with ASD from 1963 to 2011 were identified through national Danish registers, of which 1,111 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Each patient was matched with 10 control subjects on age and gender.

Risk of pneumonia in adults with closed versus unclosed atrial septal defect (from a nationwide cohort study).

Atrial septal defect (ASD) is associated with pulmonary hyperperfusion and inflammation and has been linked with increased risk of pneumonia. We investigated the risk of pneumonia in patients with ASD and the impact of ASD closure in a nationwide cohort study. All adults in Denmark (n = 1,168) diagnosed with ASD from 1977 to 2009 were identified through Danish public registries.