Going home on a ventricular assist device (VAD) is a major milestone, but it also comes with unique challenges for adolescents and young adults.
A recent study published in JHLT Open explored the experiences of 17 young people living at home with durable VAD support.
Participants shared concerns related to emergency situations, infection, bleeding, and device management, along with challenges affecting daily activities and social engagement. The findings highlight the importance of psychosocial support for patients and families.
Special thanks to the ACTION Fellows who led this project and to the adolescents and young adults who generously shared their experiences.
Read the publication: bit.ly/4dNAM3K! #PedsHF #PedsVAD #Collaboration
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Plan on attending #ISHLT2027 in Sydney? Start making your travel arrangements. Attendees can now book hotels at exclusive rates. ✈️📆
🌟Preconference Day: Tuesday, 13 April
🌟Annual Meeting & Scientific Sessions: Wednesday, 14 April - Saturday, 17 April
Learn more at 🔗 bit.ly/4dJLs37
🦠 How common are VAD-associated infections in children?
A new study published in Artificial Organs evaluated 1,527 pediatric patients in the ACTION registry and found that about 10% developed a VAD-associated infection.
Infection rates were proportionately higher among patients with intracorporeal VADs (13.1%) compared with durable paracorporeal (9.3%) and temporary paracorporeal (3.3%) VAD support.
The median time to infection was longer for intracorporeal versus paracorporeal VADs (143 vs. 52.5 days), and the study found no difference in one-year survival between patients with and without VAD-associated infection.
Learn more here: bit.ly/4Blw3Au! #PedsHF #PedsVAD
Congratulations to our newest Member of the Month, Jonathan Edelson, Medical Director of the Heart Transplant and Ventricular Assist Device Programs at @ChildrensPhila! 🎉
When asked what made him join ACTION, Jon shared, “I saw the excitement, enthusiasm, collaboration, and productivity within ACTION and wanted to be part of it. It felt like a group of people who genuinely enjoyed working together and were actually getting things done.”
Get to know Jon, including the ACTION projects he's most excited about, his favorite travel destination, and the best piece of advice he's received here: bit.ly/4hJbmGL!
Does timing matter for RVAD implantation? An ACTION study of 223 pediatric BiVAD patients found better 1-year survival among those who received an RVAD during the same surgery versus delayed RVAD implantation.
Learn more here: bit.ly/4rXZdBu!
#PedsVAD #PedsHF
🎉 Join us in welcoming Megan to the ACTION team! As our newest Program Manager, Megan is excited to support ACTION's mission and help improve outcomes for patients and families. Welcome aboard, Megan!
New from ACTION: Referral Guidance for Pediatric Oncology Providers. This practical resource helps oncology providers identify when cardiology referral may be appropriate during treatment and survivorship.
Download here: bit.ly/4e5Z8Wk!
#PedsHF #CardioOncology
Join us 10/15 for the ACTION IRL VAD session, The Wait Is Not a Pause: Helping Children Thrive While Awaiting Transplant, featuring Dr. Jennifer Conway, Dr. Casey Vogel, and a family sharing their experiences.
Register here: bit.ly/4yURLsZ.
#PedsVAD #PedsHF
When should beta-blocker therapy begin for children with heart failure? A recent ACTION study found similar 30-day readmission and mortality outcomes in children who started beta-blockers during a heart failure hospitalization versus after discharge.
Published in Pediatric Cardiology, these findings add to the growing body of evidence on beta-blocker initiation in pediatric heart failure.
Read more: bit.ly/4izPVZE.
#Collaboration #PedsHF
Approximately 1 in 3 children supported with paracorporeal VADs experienced an infectious adverse event per a recent ACTION study. The analysis found infections were associated with worse survival and identified key risk factors for infection. Read more: bit.ly/4rf6iNj!
