Symptomatic Tetralogy of Fallot in Young Infants: Primary Repair or Shunt—Pediatric Health Information System Database Analysis

Abstract

Background:

Compare the early outcomes and hospital charges of early primary repair and systemic-to-pulmonary artery shunt for neonates and young infants (≤90 days of age) with tetralogy of Fallot using data from the Pediatric Health Information System database.

Methods:

The Pediatric Health Information System database was queried for patients <90 days of age with primary diagnosis of tetralogy of Fallot who underwent nonelective surgical repair or palliation between January 2008 and December 2014. The initial cohort of 821 patients (group 1 early primary repair, N = 554; group 2 systemic-to-pulmonary artery shunt, N = 267) was propensity score matched (248 patients in each group) to account for baseline imbalances in age and prostaglandin use.

Results:

Comparison of unmatched groups revealed younger age and higher incidence of extracardiac anomalies (P = .02) and prematurity (P = .04) in group 2. Mortality was comparable between the groups (group 1: 20 [4%] of 554 vs group 2: 11 [4%] of 267, P = .74). Irrespective of the type of procedure, prematurity (odds ratio [OR] = 3.3, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.5-7.4) and extracardiac anomalies (OR = 2.5, 95% CI: 1.2-5.3) were independent risk factors for mortality. Propensity score–matched analysis revealed no significant differences in patient mortality (P = 1), duration of ventilation (P = .64), hospital length of stay (P = .69), or hospital charges (P = .08) between the two groups.

Conclusion:

Outcomes and hospital charges associated with nonelective early primary repair are comparable to systemic-to-pulmonary artery shunt in symptomatic patients <90 days old with tetralogy of Fallot.