Published Online
on May 12, 2003

A more recent version of this article appeared on June 3, 2003

This Article Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 107/21/2722    most recent 01.CIR.0000070620.97086.65v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Stavinoha, P. L. Articles by Mahony, L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Stavinoha, P. L. Articles by Mahony, L. Related Collections Pediatric and congenital heart disease, including cardiovascular surgery

Submitted on December 23, 2002
Revised on March 11, 2003
Accepted on March 12, 2003

Cardiopulmonary Bypass to Repair an Atrial Septal Defect Does Not Affect Cognitive Function in Children

Peter L. Stavinoha PhD, David E. Fixler MD, and Lynn Mahony MD^*

From the Departments of Psychiatry (P.L.S.) and Pediatrics (D.E.F., L.M.), University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Tex.

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: Lynn.Mahony{at}UTSouthwestern.edu.

Background--Changes in neurocognitive function after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) are difficult to assess in children with congenital cardiovascular malformations in part because identification of a suitable control group of children is difficult.

Methods and Results--We evaluated neurocognitive function in subjects aged 3 to 17 years both before and after surgical repair of an atrial septal defect (ASD). Eighteen subjects underwent testing within a median of 3 days (range, 1 to 27) before surgery and 5.8 months (range, 5.5 to 9) after surgery. The Differential Ability Scales was administered to subjects in a single testing session. All subjects were considered to be healthy, and they had no activity limitations. The mean General Conceptual Ability (GCA) scores (analogous to IQ) for the group were in the normal range before and after ASD repair. No significant difference was detected between the GCA scores before and after surgery. The GCA score was 90.8±18.6 before surgery and 93.1±16.3 after surgery.

Conclusions--Use of CPB was not associated with changes in cognitive function in our subjects who underwent repair of an ASD.

Key words: heart defects, congenital • cardiopulmonary bypass • follow-up studies

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. van der Rijken, G. Hulstijn-Dirkmaat, F. Kraaimaat, L. Nabuurs-Kohrman, A. Nijveld, B. Maassen, and O. Daniels Open-heart surgery at school age does not affect neurocognitive functioning Eur. Heart J., November 1, 2008; 29(21): 2681 - 2688. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. A. Karsdorp, W. Everaerd, M. Kindt, and B. J.M. Mulder Psychological and Cognitive Functioning in Children and Adolescents with Congenital Heart Disease: A Meta-Analysis J. Pediatr. Psychol., June 1, 2007; 32(5): 527 - 541. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. T. Mahle, K. Lundine, K. R. Kanter, J. M. Forbess, P. Kirshbom, S. R. Tosone, and R. N. Vincent The short term effects of cardiopulmonary bypass on neurologic function in children and young adults Eur. J. Cardiothorac. Surg., November 1, 2004; 26(5): 920 - 925. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]