Congenital Heart SurgeryEHJThursday, October 15, 2026

Transition from paediatric to adult congenital heart disease care in Central and South-Eastern Europe: current practices and opportunities for improvement.

1 min read·By E. Nolan Beckett, MD·Source: European heart journal open

Key Numbers

67%

72%

23%

20% each

From The Cardiac Wire

[NOTABLE] Single-ventricle physiology, not pulmonary venous anatomy, drives death after TAPVC repair.

Across 1,258 infants in the Pediatric Health Information System, 2015-2024 , one-year survival was 52% in the 120 single-ventricle patients versus 88% in biventricular anatomy (HR 3.69; 6.62 for PA/IVS, 4.42 for HLHS), with 32% cumulative pulmonary vein reintervention at 12 months and five-fold higher costs ($1,019,390 vs $259,303).

Editor’s take pending for this article; this is the section commentary excerpt.

Source Abstract

AIMS: Transition from paediatric to adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) care is a critical determinant of lifelong disease management for individuals with congenital heart disease (CHD). However, structured transition programmes remain inconsistently implemented, and data are lacking on current practices in Central and South-Eastern European (CESEE) countries. This study aimed to evaluate existing transition practices across CESEE and to identify opportunities to improve the development and implementation of structured programmes. METHODS AND RESULTS: An online questionnaire was distributed to centres involved in CHD care across CESEE countries. The survey assessed centre characteristics, transition services, transfer processes, and development priorities. Responses from 60 healthcare CHD professionals representing 43 centres in 21 countries were analysed. A formal ACHD service was reported in 29 (67%) of 43 centres, mostly established after the year 2000 (72%), caring for a median of 1500 (interquartile range 782-4000) patients with ACHD. Overall, only 10 (23%) centres reported having a formal transition programme. Transition counselling was typically delivered in a single outpatient visit, commonly involving paediatric and adult CHD physicians, but rarely nurses and psychosocial professionals (20% each). Structured transfer processes were inconsistently implemented, and only half of the centres monitored non-attendance at initial adult visits. In centres without formal programmes, informal counselling largely occurred at the final paediatric or first adult visit, relying on patient self-referral, and lacking follow-up. CONCLUSION: Formal transition programmes remain limited across CESEE ACHD centres. Standardized clear pathways, investment in dedicated transition clinics, and trained workforce are needed to improve continuity of care for adolescents with CHD.

Authors: Arvanitaki A, Prokšelj K, Šimkova I, Vranešić II, Strenge A et al.

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