Research

Natalie qualified to be a participant in a research project that is being headed up by Dr. Gordon Cohen (the surgeon that preformed her first open-heart surgery) called Identification of Neovascularization Biomarkers. "This study is being done to try and identify a protein that is produced by your liver. We believe this protein exists in all people and is involved in the regulation of blood vessel growth. Identifying this protein could hold important implications for the treatment of heart disease, cancer and other diseases." (Taken from Seattle Children's consent form.)

Because Natalie was having a heart cath, they were able to take blood samples from different areas in and around the heart to see if this protein exists and how high the levels are. Because of her single ventricle circulation Dr. Cohen believes that her biomarker levels may be lower than in regular circulation. The exciting aspect to this research project for single ventricle patients is that they are hoping to find a way around the pesky collateral blood vessel growth that post-Glenn single ventricle patients deal with. Dr. Cohen and his team think that this protein inhibits blood vessel growth. In people with post-Glenn circulation, there may not be enough of this protein released into the areas around the heart and lungs. This may be why the collateral vessels grow. Identifying this marker could lead to treatment being developed that would keep the collateral vessels from growing in post-Glenn single ventricle patients. If Dr. Cohen's theory is true, a simple supplementation of this protein for children like Natalie would keep them from having frequent cath procedures to coil off collateral vessels.

We're glad that Natalie was able to participate in this research project and look forward to hearing the outcomes in the future. Pediatric cardiology has come a long way in the past thirty to forty years, especially in the area of treatment of single ventricle kids. It's exciting to think of the extra years that research could bring to these kids lives!