Association between increased central venous pressure and hydrocephalus in children undergoing cardiac catheterization. A prospective study

Objects: The relationship between increased central venous pressure (CVP) and development of hydrocephalus has been extensively discussed in the neuropediatric literature. However, the possibility of a direct connection has not been systematically examined. The purpose of this prospective study was to examine whether there was a correlation between elevated CVP and hydrocephalus in children undergoing cardiac catheterization. Methods: We used cardiac catheterization to measure the right atrial and superior vena caval pressure in 37 children (mean age 30 months) with congenital heart malformations. The children had CVP higher than normal (mean 10.2±3.1 mmHg, range 4-18). To evaluate the size of the lateral and fourth ventricles, we performed CT scans of the brain on each child. Abnormal scans were found in 15/37 children, showing brain atrophy (12/37), ventriculomegaly (3/37), and focal infarction (1/37). Cerebral atrophy was more likely to occur in young children (P<0.001). The average head circumference among these children was less than 2SD below the mean for healthy children of comparable ages. Using a correlation coefficient regression model, no relationship was found between CVP and ventricular diameters or head circumference. Conclusion: These results argue against the hypothesis that mild to moderately elevated venous pressure is involved in the mechanism and development of pediatric hydrocephalus.