Predictors of Poor Neurocognitive Performance and Neuropsychological Phenotypes in Adolescents and Young Adults With Congenital Heart Disease

Objectives: to determine the predictors of neurocognitive performance (NP) of patients with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD), analysing its relation to parameters of fetal development, as head circumference (HC), weight (W) and length (L) at birth, neonatal parameters (APGAR 1, 5), quality of life (QOL), psychiatric morbidity (PM), psychosocial adjustment (PSA) and traits of personality (TP); to identify different phenotypes of NP in CHD patients. Methods: 337 CHD patients, 189 male, ages 12 to 30 years (mean= 16.34 ± 3.12), 117 cyanotic, and 119 healthy controls (56 males, mean=18.41±3.20) participated. Clinical data were collected. Neuropsychological assessment included Wechsler’s Digit Test (direct and reverse) and Symbol Search, Rey’s Complex Figure, BADS’s Key Searching Test, Color-Word Stroop Test, Trail Making Test (A, B) and Logical Memory Task. Participants were interviewed on social support, family educational style, self-image, physical limitations, completed a psychiatric interview (SADS-L) and ...