ATS
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Personal Folders
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Author home page(s):
Martha L. Clabby
Paul M. Kirshbom
Kirk R. Kanter
Brian E. Kogon
Right arrow Permission Requests
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by McAlvin, B.
Right arrow Articles by Mahle, W. T.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by McAlvin, B.
Right arrow Articles by Mahle, W. T.
Related Collections
Right arrow Congenital - cyanotic

Ann Thorac Surg 2007;84:1316-1319
© 2007 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

Original Articles: Cardiovascular

Routine Immunizations and Adverse Events in Infants With Single-Ventricle Physiology

Brian McAlvin, MDa, Martha L. Clabby, MDa, Paul M. Kirshbom, MDb, Kirk R. Kanter, MDb, Brian E. Kogon, MDb, William T. Mahle, MDa,*

a Sibley Heart Center Cardiology, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia
b Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia

Accepted for publication April 27, 2007.

* Address correspondence to Dr Mahle, 1405 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30322 (Email: mahlew{at}kidsheart.com).

Background: Infants with single-ventricle congenital heart defects are at risk of sudden unexpected death. In an effort to decrease the risk of sudden death, some centers have advocated that routine immunizations be deferred in this population. However, it is not known if an association exists between immunizations and adverse events.

Methods: The present study examined the relationship of routine immunizations with adverse events, which were defined as sudden death or hospital readmission. The diphtheria–tetanus–acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccine was considered in the analysis. The patient population consisted of infants younger than 9 months old who resided locally and had not yet undergone bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis (BCPA). Immunization data were obtained from a mandatory statewide database.

Results: During a 35-month period, 137 patients with single-ventricle physiology were discharged home after neonatal surgery or directly from the newborn nursery. Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) was the diagnosis in 58 patients (42%) and was the most common. In the entire cohort, there were four sudden deaths (3%), and 53 patients (38%) had at least one interval hospital admission. Immunization within 48 hours was not associated with adverse events (odds ratio, 1.48; 95% confidence interval, 0.73 to 2.90; p = 0.31). No sudden death events occurred within 48 hours of immunization.

Conclusions: No association could be identified between routine immunizations and adverse events in infants with single-ventricle physiology. As such, the proposal to alter the immunization regimen in this population does not appear justified.






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
ANN THORAC SURG ASIAN CARDIOVASC THORAC ANN EUR J CARDIOTHORAC SURG
J THORAC CARDIOVASC SURG ICVTS ALL CTSNet JOURNALS
Copyright © 2007 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.