The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Sep 2021
Multicenter StudyFetal brain growth and risk of postnatal white matter injury in critical congenital heart disease.
To test the hypothesis that delayed brain development in fetuses with d-transposition of the great arteries or hypoplastic left heart syndrome heightens their postnatal susceptibility to acquired white matter injury. ⋯ Lower total brain volume beginning in late gestation is associated with increased risk of postnatal moderate-severe white matter injury in d-transposition of the great arteries but not hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Rate of brain growth was not a risk factor for white matter injury. The underlying fetal and perinatal physiology has different implications for postnatal risk of white matter injury.