The VE/VCO2 slope: A useful tool to evaluate the physiological status of children with congenital heart disease

Cardio-pulmonary exercise test (CPET) is becoming a key examination to assess physical capacity and disease severity in paediatric cardiology. The VE/VCO2 slope has been increasingly used as surrogate marker for morbidity mortality adult heart failure, pulmonary arterial hypertension patients with CHD. Nevertheless, the use of children remains limited absence reference values clearly identified clinical determinants. This study aimed compare cohort CHD that age- gender-adjusted healthy controls. We also intended identify CPET variables associated this population. cross-sectional was carried out between November 2010 September 2015 two tertiary care cardiology centres. A total 700 were enrolled (399 301 controls). mean significantly higher than subjects (31.6 ± 4.8 vs. 29.3 4.8; P < 0.001). When considering sub-groups, impaired single ventricle, complex anomalies ventriculo-arterial connections, atrioventricular junctions valves. according physiological status illustrated Fig. 1, it significant regurgitation, tricuspid right ventricular ventricle outflow tract (RVOT) obstacle. In group, increase BMI, presence RVOT obstacle, number cardiac catheter procedures, well low age, FVC, tidal volume, PetCO2 (Fig. 1). Increased predominantly and/or residual abnormalities suggesting maldistribution blood flow during an important CHD-unique determinant slope.