Thymic Atrophy and Immune Dysregulation in Infants with Complex Congenital Heart Disease.

ABSTRACT: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect, and up to 50% of infants with CHD require cardiovascular surgery early in life. Current clinical practice often involves thymus resection during cardiac surgery, detrimentally affecting T-cell immunity. However, epidemiological data indicate that CHD patients face an elevated risk for infections and immune-mediated diseases, independent of thymectomy. Hence, we examined whether the cardiac defect impacts thymus function in individuals with CHD. We investigated thymocyte development in 58 infants categorized by CHD complexity. To assess the relationship between CHD complexity and thymic function, we analyzed T-cell development, thymic output, and biomarkers linked to cardiac defects, stress, or inflammation. Patients with highl

SUBMITTER: Bremer SJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10891212 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature