Dear Colleagues,
COVID-19 infection and Congenital Heart Disease Study (COACHeD Study): BCCA sponsored surveillance study
It is apparent that most of the guidance about congenital heart disease and COVID-19 is based on expert consensus rather than hard evidence.
We are aware that PHE is looking into every COVID case and have contacted them to ensure that CHD is highlighted in that survey. The BPSU is adding COVID-19 in neonates to its “orange card” surveillance and we have contacted them to ensure that CHD is included in the follow-up questionnaire.
We believe that neither of these studies addresses many of the questions that need answering such as whether children and adults with congenital heart disease fare particularly badly with this infection and if so which subgroups.
We now have BCCA council approval to conduct a multicentre surveillance study of our own including all children and adults with CHD that contract COVID infection in the UK and Ireland. Clearly many will have subclinical infections or develop mild infections that are never tested and of which we will never be aware. But it would give an idea of the more severe infections that this group have.
On a monthly basis, a link to a six-question screening survey will be sent out to all BCCA members. If the reply is yes to any of these questions it will be followed up by our research volunteers with a more detailed questionnaire.
We are sure you appreciate the rationale for this study and its importance in giving guidance to our patients. This questionnaire is being sent to all BCCA members. We would be grateful if one person from each centre would be able to assist us in this study. The aim would be to publish the study with an author from each participating centre. We have applied for ethical permission.
We do hope that you will enthusiastically support this venture.
Prof Piers E. F. Daubeney MA DM FRCP FRCPCH DCH
President Elect, British Congenital Cardiac Association
Prof John M. Simpson MD FRCP FESC
President, British Congenital Cardiac Association
Dr Sian Chivers
Paediatric Cardiology SpR
Dr Aoife Cleary
Paediatric Cardiology SpR