Circulating Transforming Growth Factor-β and Aortic Dilation in Patients with Repaired Congenital Heart Disease

This study determined the circulating levels of TGF-β1 and its association with aortic dilation and elastic properties in congenital heart patients. Forty-six patients after tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) repair, 21 patients post arterial switch and 15 patients post atrial switch for transposition of the great arteries (TGA), 27 patients post Fontan procedure, and 36 controls were studied. Aortic dimensions and elastic properties and ventricular function were assessed by echocardiography. Serum TGF-β1, metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 levels were quantified. Compared with controls, all groups of patients had significantly larger ascending aortic dimensions and worse elastic properties (all p < 0.05). Aortic stiffness correlated positively with sinus dimension (r = 0.48, p < 0.001) and negatively with indices of ventricular deformation (all p < 0.001). Patients with repaired TOF had significantly higher levels of TGF-β1 (p = 0.005), MMP-2 (p = 0.001) and MMP-9 (p < 0.001) than controls, while patients after atrial switch operation (p = 0.034) and Fontan procedures (p < 0.001) had higher MMP-2 levels. In patients as a group, circulating TGF-β1 levels correlated with MMP-9 (r = 0.44, p < 0.001) and aortic sinus dimension (r = 0.22, p = 0.035). In conclusion, increased circulating TGF-β1, MMP-2, and MMP-9 levels were found in patients with repaired TOF, and increased circulating MMP-2 levels were also evident in patients after atrial switch operation and Fontan procedure.