J Perinatol

. 2026 Mar 2.

 doi: 10.1038/s41372-026-02584-2. Online ahead of print. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41772101/

Congenital heart disease and congenital diaphragmatic hernia: the role of intracardiac shunts

Jenna A Katz ^1 2, Philip T Levy ^3 4, Isabella Zaniletti ⁵, Molly K Ball ⁶, Ruth Seabrook ⁶, Shazia Bhombal ^7 8, Karna Murthy ^9 10, Michael A Padula ^5 11 12, Sharada H Gowda ¹³, Theresa R Grover ¹⁴, Sarah D Keene ^7 8; Children’s Hospitals Neonatal Consortium’s (CHNC) Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Focus Group

Affiliations Expand

• PMID: 41772101
• DOI: 10.1038/s41372-026-02584-2

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the impact of cardiac lesions on outcomes to discharge in infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).

Study design: Retrospective analysis of infants with CDH identified in the Children’s Hospitals Neonatal Database (CHND) from 2010 to 22. Patients were stratified into groups based on associated congenital heart disease (CHD): (1) noCHD (2) CDH + atrial, ventricular septal defects (avCHD); (3) CDH + severe CHD (sevCHD).

Results: Among 2940 neonates with CDH, 570 (19%) had CHD (453 avCDH, 117 sevCHD). CHD of any severity was associated with small for gestational age at birth, a 5 minute Apgar <5, and additional anomalies or syndromes (p < 0.05 for all). Mechanical ventilation days, use of extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation, length of stay, and mortality increased with CHD severity (p < 0.005). Home medical needs were more frequent in infants with associated CHD (p < 0.001).

Conclusions: Comorbid CHD of any severity adds complexity and risk to patients with CDH.

© 2026. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature America, Inc.

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Darlene Silverman

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