Neurodevelopment outcomes in the first five years of the life of children with Transposition of the Great Arteries surgically corrected in the neonatal period

Abstract

Congenital heart defects are the most common abnormalities at birth, resulting in many short and long-term consequences. In patients with Transposition of the Great Arteries (TGA), surgical correction may achieve definitive treatment, so a thorough knowledge of the long-term outcomes, particularly neurodevelopment outcomes, is essential. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to study the neurodevelopment outcomes in the first five years of the life of children submitted to corrective surgery for TGA in the neonatal period. A total of 18 reports from 17 studies were included in the systematic review, assessing 809 individuals with surgically corrected TGA. The neurodevelopmental outcomes were assessed with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (BSID) and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC). Mean Mental Development Index (MDI) and Psychomotor Development Index (PDI) were within the average values from 1 to 3 years of age, and mean full-scale global IQ, verbal IQ and performance IQ scores, from four to five years, were within the reference range. This study revealed no major impairments in global neurodevelopment scores until five years of age in children submitted to corrective surgery for TGA in the neonatal period. Further studies are needed to identify specific risk factors and early markers of later impairment to guide the establishment of early interventions.