A number of recent publications, addresses, seminars, and conferences have addressed the global backlog and increasing incidence of both congenital and acquired cardiac diseases in children, with reference to early and delayed recognition, late referral, availability of and access to services, costs, risks, databases, and early and long-term results and follow-up. A variety of proposals, recommendations, and projects have been outlined and documented. The ultimate goal of these endeavors is to increase the quality and quantity of pediatric cardiac care and surgery worldwide and particularly in underserved areas. A contemporary review of past and present initiatives is presented with a subsequent focus on the more challenging areas.
TchervenkovCIJacobsJPBernierPL. The improvement of care for paediatric and congenital cardiac disease across the World: a challenge for the World Society for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery. Cardiol Young. 2008;18(suppl 2):63–69.
2.
UngerF. Worldwide survey on cardiac interventions 1995. Cor Europaeum. 1999;7:128–146.
3.
NovickWMStidhamGLKarlTR. Are we improving after 10 years of humanitarian paediatric cardiac assistance?Cardiol Young. 2005;15(4):379–384.
4.
RaoSG. Pediatric cardiac surgery in developing countries. Pediatr Cardiol. 2007;28(2):144–148.
5.
YacoubMH. Establishing pediatric cardiovascular services in the developing world: a wake-up call. Circulation. 2007;116(17):1876–1878.
6.
JonasRA. Congenital heart surgery in developing countries. Semin Thorac Cardiovasc Surg Pediatr Card Surg Annu. 2008:3–6.
7.
SaxenaA. Congenital cardiac surgery in the less privileged regions of the world. Expert Rev Cardiovasc Ther. 2009;7(12):1621–1629.
8.
DearaniJANeirottiRKohnkeEJ. Improving pediatric cardiac surgical care in developing countries: matching resources to needs. Semin Thorac Cardiovasc Surg Pediatr Card Surg Annu. 2010;13(1):35–43.
YouDAnthonyDWardlawTJenkinsR. The changing face of global child demographics. Lancet. 2013;381(9868):701–703.
13.
BygbjergIC. Double burden of noncommunicable and infectious diseases in developing countries. Science. 2012;337(6101):1499–1501.
14.
MirandaJJKinraSCasasJPDavey SmithGEbrahimS. Non-communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries: context, determinants and health policy. Trop Med Int Health. 2008;(10):1225–1234.
MarreroSLBloomDEAdashiEY. Noncommunicable diseases: a global health crisis in a new world order. JAMA. 2012;307(19):2037–2038.
18.
LiuLJohnsonHLCousensS. Global, regional, and national causes of child mortality: an updated systematic analysis for 2010 with time trends since 2000. Lancet. 2012;379(9832):2151–2216.
19.
LozanoRNaghaviMForemanK. Global and regional mortality from 235 causes of death for 20 age groups in 1990 and 2010: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. Lancet. 2012;380(9859):2095–2128.
20.
MurrayCJVosTLozanoR. Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for 291 diseases and injuries in 21 regions, 1990-2010: a systematic analysis for the Global burden of Disease Study 2010. Lancet. 2012;380(9859):2197–2223.
21.
BernierPLStefanescuASamoukovicGTchervenkovCI. The challenge of congenital heart disease worldwide: epidemiologic and demographic facts. Semin Thorac Cardiovasc Surg Pediatr Card Surg Annu. 2010;13(1):26–34.
22.
DearaniJA. Addressing a global challenge. World J Pediatr Congenit Heart Surg. 2011;2(2):200–201.
23.
SandovalNKreutzerCJateneM. Pediatric cardiovascular surgery in South America: current status and regional differences. World J Pediatr Congenit Heart Surg. 2010;1(3):321–327.
24.
KinsleyRH. The third Aldo Castaneda lecture: the neglect of neonatal/infant cardiac disease in Africa—continental genocide?World J Pediatr Congenit Heart Surg. 2012;3(2):241–243.
25.
KothariSS. Pediatric cardiac care for the economically disadvantaged in India: Problems and prospects. Ann Pediatr Cardiol. 2009;2(1):95–98.
26.
SaxenaA. Congenital heart disease in India: a status report. Indian J Pediatr. 2005;72(7):595–598.
27.
van der LindeDKoningsEESlagerMA. Birth prevalence of congenital heart disease worldwide: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2011;58(21):2241–2247.
28.
BernsteinD. Epidemiology and genetic basis of congenital heart disease. In: BehrmanD, ed. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, 17th ed. Philadelphia, Saunders: Elsevier; 2004.
29.
BorzoueeMJannatiM. Distribution and characteristics of the heart disease in pediatric age group in Southern Iran. Iran Cardiovas Res J. 2008;2(1):48–51.
30.
TruccoSMBarnoyaJLarrazabalLACastañedaATeitelDF. Detection rates of congenital heart disease in Guatemala. Cardiol Young. 2011;21(2):153–160.
31.
SaxenaA. How to deliver the best: a call for action for congenital heart disease treatments in India. Future Cardiol. 2014;10(3):359–366.
32.
FinebergHVHunterDJ. A global view of health—an unfolding series. N Engl J Med. 2013;368(1):78–79.
33.
FrenkJMoonS. Governance challenges in global health. N Engl J Med. 2013;368(10):936–942.
RamakrishnanSKheraRJainS. Gender differences in the utilisation of surgery for congenital heart disease in India. Heart. 2011;97(23):1920–1925.
43.
IyerKS. Treating hypoplastic left heart syndrome in emerging economies: heading the wrong way?Ann Pediatr Cardiol. 2013;6(1):12–14.
44.
KumarRK. Teamwork in pediatric heart care. Ann Pediatr Cardiol. 2009;2(2):140–145.
45.
BalachandranRNairSGKumarRK. Establishing a pediatric cardiac intensive care unit—special considerations in a limited resources environment. Ann Pediatr Cardiol. 2010;3(1):40–49.
46.
KumarGIyerPU. Management of perioperative low cardiac output state without extracorporeal life support: what is feasible?Ann Pediatr Cardiol. 2010;3(2):147–158.
47.
VarmaA. Pediatric cardiac intensive care units: the way forward. Ann Pediatr Cardiol. 2011;4(2):127–128.
48.
Calderón-ColmeneroJCervantes-SalazarJCuri-CuriPRamírez-MarroquínS. Congenital heart disease in Mexico: advances of the regionalization project. World J Pediatr Congenit Heart Surg. 2013;4(2):165–171.
49.
SheldonGF. Globalization and the health workforce shortage. Surgery. 2006;140(3):354–358.
50.
KuehnBM. Global shortage of health workers, brain drain stress developing countries. JAMA. 2007;298(16):1853–1855.
51.
KuehnBM. No end in sight to nursing shortage: bottleneck at nursing schools a key factor. JAMA. 2007;298(14):1623–1625.
52.
PeñalozaBPantojaTBastíasGHerreraCRadaG. Interventions to reduce emigration of health care professionals from low- and middle-income countries. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011;(9):CD007673.
53.
YankahCFynn-ThompsonFAntunesM. Cardiac surgery capacity in sub-Saharan Africa: quo vadis?Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2014;62(5):393–401.
54.
KinghamTPPriceRRCaseyKMRogersSOKushnerAI. Beyond volunteerism: augmenting surgical care in resource-limited settings. Bull Am Coll Surg. 2011;96(7):16–21.
55.
MakiJQuallsMWhiteBKleefieldSCroneR. Health impact assessment and short-term medical missions: a methods study to evaluate quality of care. BMC Health Serv Res. 2008;8:121.
56.
MartiniukALManouchehrianMNeginJAZwiAB. Brain Gains: a literature review of medical missions to low and middle-income countries. BMC Health Serv Res. 2012;12:134.
57.
PezzellaAT. Volunteerism and humanitarian efforts in surgery. Curr Probl Surg. 2006;43(12):848–929.
58.
NguyenNJacobsJPDearaniJA. Survey of nongovernmental organizations providing pediatric cardiovascular care in low- and middle-income countries. World J Pediatr Congenit Heart Surg. 2014;5(2):248–255.
59.
JonasRA. Evolving healthcare for congenital heart disease in China. Asian Cardiovasc Thorac Ann. 1998;6(3):151–152.
60.
International Children’s Heart Fund. Web site. www.ichfund.org. Accessed July 21, 2013.
CulbertsonCBBangNKPhucVM. Developing a congenital heart surgery program in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam: a five year retrospective and lessons learned. Congenit Cardiol Today. 2011;9(12):2–8.
63.
LarrazabalLAJenkinsKJGauvreauK. Improvement in congenital heart surgery in a developing country: the Guatemalan experience. Circulation. 2007;116(17):1882–1887.
64.
Leon-WyssJRVeshtiAVerasO. Pediatric cardiac surgery: a challenge and outcome analysis of the Guatemala effort. Semin Thorac Cardiovasc Surg Pediatr Card Surg Annu. 2009;8–11.
65.
LiuJ. Challenges and progress of the pediatric cardiac surgery in Shanghai Children's Medical Center: a 25-year solid collaboration with Project HOPE. Semin Thorac Cardiovasc Surg Pediatr Card Surg Annu. 2009:12–18.
66.
PezzellaAT. Global aspects of cardiothoracic surgery with focus on developing countries. Asian Cardiovasc Thorac Ann. 2010;18(3):299–310.
67.
BaliulisGLipneviciusASudikieneR. Sustainable knowledge transfer in pediatric cardiac surgery: a team approach to shared learning. World J Pediatr Congenit Heart Surg. 2011;2(2):225–230.
68.
GiambertiAMeleMDi TerlizziM. Association of children with heart disease in the world: 10-year experience. Pediatr Cardiol. 2004;25(5):492–494.
69.
NichollsM. Chain of Hope. Circulation. 2006;114(9):f134–f136.
RossRDDeliusRWeinsteinSRosenkrantzERde PichardoNPMaderaF. Forming a consortium to promote pediatric cardiac care in a developing country. J Pediatr. 2009;154(3):311–312.
73.
FentonKNCastilloSHClaroCDNovickWM. Teamwork and program organization in developing countries. World J Pediatr Congenit Heart Surg. 2011;2(2):219–224.
74.
PezzellaAT. Initiation of a model six year program in Shanghai, China. Ann Afr Chir Thor Cardiovasc. 2009;4:81–99.
75.
TurinaM. El comite de cooperacian internacional: Humanitario de la European Association for Cardiothoracic Surgery. Cir Cardiov. 2007;14(1):9–13.
WoodDEFarjahF. Global differences in the training, practice, and interrelationship of cardiac and thoracic surgeons. Ann Thorac Surg. 2009;88(2):515–522.
84.
SádabaJRLoubaniMSalzbergSP. Real life cardio-thoracic surgery training in Europe: facing the facts. Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg. 2010;11(3):243–246.
85.
WangTTAhmedKPatelVM. A competency framework in cardiothoracic surgery for training and revalidation—an international comparison. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 2011;40(4):816–825.
86.
MitchellKBTarpleyMJTarpleyJLCaseyKM. Elective global surgery rotations for residents: a call for cooperation and consortium. World J Surg. 2011;35(12):2617–2624.
87.
AxtJNthumbaPMMwanziaK. Commentary: the role of global surgery electives during residency training: relevance, realities, and regulations. Surgery. 2013;153(3):327–332.
88.
HenryJAGroenRSPriceRR. The benefits of international rotations to resource-limited settings for U.S. surgery residents. Surgery. 2013;153(4):445–454.
FrankM. Open but not free—publishing in the 21st century. N Engl J Med. 2013;368(9):787–789.
91.
WolpertAJ. For the sake of inquiry and knowledge—the inevitability of open access. N Engl J Med. 2013;368(9):785–787.
92.
NeirottiRA. Access to Cardiac Surgery in the Developing World: Social, Political and Economic Considerations. Web site. http://www.fac.org.ar/qcvc/llave/c010i/neirottir.php. Published September 2007. Accessed November 12, 2014.
93.
YacoubM. The importance of research at the local level in developing countries. Presented at the American Association for Thoracic Surgery 83rd Annual Meeting, Boston, MA, May 7, 2003.
94.
MossAJFrancisCWRyanD. Collaborative clinical trials. N Engl J Med. 2011;364(9):789–791.
95.
JacobsJPMaruszewskiBKurosawaH. Congenital heart surgery databases around the world: do we need a global database?Semin Thorac Cardiovasc Surg Pediatr Card Surg Annu. 2010;13(1):3–19.
96.
JacobsJPJacobsMLAustinEHIII. Quality measures for congenital and pediatric cardiac surgery. World J Pediatr Congenit Heart Surg. 2012;3(1):32–47.
97.
JenkinsKJBeekmanRHIIIBergersenLJ. Databases for assessing the outcomes of the treatment of patients with congenital and paediatric cardiac disease—the perspective of cardiology. Cardiol Young. 2008;18 (suppl 2):116–123.
