Alsaied, et al. Make Landmark Conclusion in Recent Journal of the American College of Cardiology Publication

Pitt Pediatrics congratulates Tarek Alsaied, MD,MSc, Bryan Goldstein, MD, Arvind Hoskoppal, MD, MHS, Anita Saraf MD, PhD, Brian Feingold, MD, MS, FAHA, et al., for their recent publication in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) with their article “Thromboprophylaxis in the Fontan Circulation: Long-Awaited Validation.”
 
About 1 in 10,000 children are born with a specific kind of heart defect (single ventricle) that requires a surgical treatment called a Fontan palliation, wherein the typical blood flow in the heart is to bypass the hypoplastic ventricle. Long-term antithrombotic prophylaxis is then typically prescribed in order to manage the potential for catastrophic clotting cardiac events. However, it is estimated that approximately 50% of all people in the United States living with Fontan palliation are under the age of 18, and have a more difficult time with related side effects of current anticoagulation treatments, including compliance and improper dosing levels. 
 
The meta-analysis performed by Alsaied et al. demonstrates that the most effective treatment to reduce the potential for catastrophic cardiac events is a regular dose of aspirin in these pediatric populations and that in high risk patients a non-vitamin K anticoagulant can be safely and effectively used. This conclusion is a highly significant finding in the field of cardiology, as questions of appropriate long-term care of Fontan palliation have lingered among pediatric cardiologists for decades. 

The Journal of the American College of Cardiology is recognized as one of the top cardiology journals in the world, signifying the incredible step-forward this new research represents for pediatric cardiac patients.