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Research

CHA Funded Studies

Cardiac Research Initiatives
For well over 30 years, the Cincinnati Children’s Heart Association has played an integral role in supporting cardiac research at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. The funded studies range from basic laboratory work to clinical and outcomes studies. Recently the Association has supported quality improvement work aimed at enhancing clinical practice using the latest technologies.

The support provided by the Cincinnati Children’s Heart Association is critical to The Heart Center’s efforts to advance our field. While many research studies will never generate funding from National Institutes of Health (and similar foundations), they have had a significant impact on improving care. Recent studies funded include Fetal Cardiovascular Research and the JCCHD Quality Improvement project.

Fetal Cardiovascular Research Study
PI: Pirooz Eghtesady, MD, PhD

PROGRESS REPORT
Developing methods and tools for open-heart surgery in the fetus.
A byproduct of fetal bypass research led to the introduction of Vacuum Venous Drainage technology into our clinical practice.

Extending the experimental model of heart surgery in the fetus.
We developed an improved means of monitoring the mother and fetus during surgery.

Developing improved anesthetic regimens for fetal cardiac surgery.
We defined the optimal inotropic regimen for fetal support as a means of optimizing heart function.

Studying placental function during cardiopulmonary bypass in the fetus.
Our data proved that fetal bypass leads to significant perturbations in placental Nitric Oxide pathways.

Creating animal models of congenital heart disease.
We created a severe fetal left ventricular outflow narrowing in sheep fetuses, and observed a thickening of the heart and severe left ventricular dysfunction.

Pathogenesis of fetal heart disease
We determined that amniotic fluid BNP might serve as a prognostic marker of cardiovascular well-being in a fetus with congenital heart disease.

RESULTS
This CHA-supported research helped Dr. Eghtesady obtain the following grants: Thrasher Research Fund, American Heart Association-National Scientist Development Grant, Children’s Heart Foundation of Chicago, and CHRF Translational research Initiative.
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JCCHD National Collaborative for Quality Improvement in
Pediatric Cardiology
PI: Robert H. Beekman, III, MD

PROGRESS REPORT
The Joint Council on Congenital Heart Disease Task Force
The mission of the JCCHD National Collaborative is to drastically improve the outcomes of care for children with congenital heart disease (CHD). The objectives include collaboration with parents, the development of a national network of pediatric cardiologists, and the creation of a database to store clinical cardiologic data.

RESULTS
At this point, it is too early to judge the impact of this large, multi-center project. Hopefully, it will lead to enhanced care for hundreds—and eventually thousands—of patients with complex cases of congenital heart disease.
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