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Neuropsychological development in school-aged children after surgery or transcatheter closure for ventricular septal
Youpeng Jin1, Jinlong Liu1, Wei Wang1
1Shandong Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, 250021, Shandong Province, China.
Insights
School-aged children with ventricular septal defect (VSD) show normal IQs but deficits in fine-motor and auditory skills post-treatment. Neuropsychological impairments are more pronounced after surgical VSD closure compared to transcatheter methods.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Neurodevelopmental Pediatrics
- Congenital Heart Disease Research
Background:
- Ventricular septal defect (VSD) is a common congenital heart anomaly.
- Surgical or transcatheter closure is standard treatment for VSD.
- Neuropsychological development in children post-VSD treatment requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the neuropsychological development in school-aged children following VSD treatment.
- To compare outcomes between surgical closure and transcatheter intervention for VSD.
- To identify specific cognitive and motor deficits in children with VSD.
Main Methods:
- Study included 31 children treated for VSD via surgery and 35 via transcatheter methods.
- Age- and sex-matched healthy children served as controls.
- The Halstead-Reitan Battery assessed psychological and behavioral functions.
Main Results:
- Children with VSD exhibited lower fine-motor (finger-tapping) and auditory discrimination (music rhythms) abilities.
- Visual-spatial skills were impaired, particularly in the surgical group.
- Performance on complex tasks was lower in VSD patients compared to controls, with greater deficits after surgery.
Conclusions:
- School-aged children with VSD demonstrate normal IQs but impaired fine-motor, auditory, and visual-spatial functions post-treatment.
- Neuropsychological deficits are more significant in children who underwent surgical VSD repair compared to transcatheter intervention.
- Task complexity influences performance, with VSD patients struggling more with challenging tasks.
Objectives:
We aimed to assess neuropsychological development in school-aged children with ventricular septal defect (VSD) after surgery or transcatheter closure.
Methods:
We included 31 children with VSD who underwent surgery and 35 who underwent transcatheter closure and their age- and sex-matched best friends as normal controls and parents. The Halstead-Reitan Battery was used to measure psychological and behavioral functions of children.
Results:
The mean finger-tapping time (left hand) was significantly lower for children with than without VSD (P < 0.05). For non-handedness tactual performance, the mean time was significantly longer for surgery than interventional therapy groups and controls (P < 0.05). The number of remembered locations was significantly lower for surgery than interventional therapy groups and controls (P < 0.05). The correct number of music rhythms was significantly lower for the surgery than control group (P < 0.05). Children with and without VSD did not differ in the correct number of first-group music rhythms. Nevertheless, for second- and third-group music rhythms, the correct number was significantly lower for the surgery than interventional therapy groups and controls (P < 0.05). The correct number of third-group music rhythms was significantly lower for only the interventional therapy than control group.
Conclusion:
School-aged children with VSD had normal IQ levels after surgery or interventional therapy but decreased fine-motor and auditory discrimination abilities as well as visual spatial disorder. Children with and without VSD did not differ in general tasks, but abilities on more complex and difficult tasks were lower for children with VSD. Impairments were greater after surgery than interventional therapy.
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