Single Ventricle Infant Deaths Without Transplant Referral: Room for Improvement?

1

Infant mortality for hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) remains high, with up to 45% mortality in the first year despite improved survival rates over 30 years.
2

Heart transplant is a viable option for infants with HLHS experiencing heart failure, with outcomes comparable to other congenital heart diseases.
3

Lower socioeconomic status (SES) and minority race or ethnicity are associated with lower rates of heart transplant referral for infants with HLHS.
4

The study utilized the National Pediatric Cardiology Quality Improvement Collaborative registry to analyze transplant referral patterns in infants post-stage 1 palliation.
5

Outcomes tracked included transplant referral, death without transplant, and other early exits, with statistical methods assessing the impact of neighborhood COI and race.

Pediatric Cardiology

by Lydia K. Wright, Antonio G. Cabrera, Sergio A. Carrillo, Clifford L. Cua, Jo Ann Davis, Rachel J. Shustak, Karen Texter, Deipanjan Nandi
May 28, 2026

1