The possibilities of the cardiorespiratory test in evaluation the level of physical capacity and prognosis in pediatric patients with congenital heart diseases (literature review)

Congenital heart defects (CHD) are the most common form of congenital malformations in children. Due to early diagnosis, rapid development of cardiac surgery technologies as well as successes in the care of severe patients after surgical correction of CHD, the survival and life expectancy of patients with CHD have significantly increased over the past decades. All this has led to the emergence of new population of patients with severe CHD and unique cardiac hemodynamics due to palliative intervention or multi-stage correction with large amount of exposure. Such patients have specific functional capabilities, special cardiopulmonary performance as well as the risk of serious adverse events (heart failure, life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias, sudden cardiac death and others). The review presents generalized current understanding about the possibilities of a cardiorespiratory test in children with various CHD.