Perinatal outcome in fetuses with heterotaxy syndrome and atrioventricular block or bradycardia

Pediatr Cardiol. 2014 Aug;35(6):906-13. doi: 10.1007/s00246-014-0874-x. Epub 2014 Feb 9.

Abstract

Congenital atrioventricular (AV) block is commonly associated with heterotaxy syndrome; together they have reportedly low survival rates (10-25%). However, information about perinatal outcome and predictors of non-survival after prenatal diagnosis of this association is scarce. Therefore, we studied fetuses with heterotaxy syndrome and bradycardia or AV-block diagnosed between 1995 and 2011, and analyzed pre and post-natal variables. The primary outcome was death and the secondary outcome was pacemaker placement. Of the 154 fetuses with heterotaxy syndrome, 91 had polysplenia syndrome, 22/91(24%) with bradycardia or AV-block. Thirteen (59%) patients had sinus bradycardia at diagnosis, 8 (36%) complete AV block, and 1 (5%) second-degree AV-block. Three patients elected for termination of pregnancy (3/22, 14%), 4 had spontaneous fetal demise (4/22, 18%), and 15 (15/22, 68%) were live-born. Of the fetuses with bradycardia/AV-block, 30% presented with hydrops, 20% had ventricular rates <55 beats/min, and 10% had cardiac dysfunction. Excluding termination of pregnancy, 15/19 fetuses (79%) survived to birth. Among the 15 live-born patients, 4 had bradycardia and 11 had AV-block. A further 3 patients died in infancy, all with AV-block who required pacemakers in the neonatal period. Thus, the 1-year survival rate, excluding termination of pregnancy, was 63% (12/19). Of the remaining 12 patients, 9 required pacemaker. Predictors of perinatal death included hydrops (p < 0.0001), ventricular dysfunction (p = 0.002), prematurity (p = 0.04), and low ventricular rates (p = 0.04). In conclusion, we found a higher survival rate (63%) than previously published in patients with heterotaxy syndrome and AV block or bradycardia diagnosed prenatally. Hydrops, cardiac dysfunction, prematurity and low ventricular rates were predictors of death.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Atrioventricular Block* / diagnosis
  • Atrioventricular Block* / etiology
  • Atrioventricular Block* / mortality
  • Atrioventricular Block* / physiopathology
  • Atrioventricular Block* / therapy
  • Boston / epidemiology
  • Bradycardia* / diagnosis
  • Bradycardia* / etiology
  • Bradycardia* / mortality
  • Bradycardia* / physiopathology
  • Bradycardia* / therapy
  • Echocardiography / methods
  • Edema / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Fetal Diseases* / diagnosis
  • Fetal Diseases* / mortality
  • Fetal Diseases* / physiopathology
  • Fetal Mortality
  • Heterotaxy Syndrome* / complications
  • Heterotaxy Syndrome* / diagnosis
  • Heterotaxy Syndrome* / mortality
  • Heterotaxy Syndrome* / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant Mortality
  • Infant, Premature
  • Male
  • Pacemaker, Artificial / statistics & numerical data*
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Outcome
  • Prenatal Diagnosis / methods
  • Prenatal Diagnosis / statistics & numerical data
  • Prognosis
  • Risk Assessment
  • Spleen / abnormalities
  • Survival Rate