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. 2025 Jun 27;14(13):4561.
doi: 10.3390/jcm14134561.

Overweight and Obesity in Adults with Congenital Heart Disease and Heart Failure: Real-World Evidence from the PATHFINDER-CHD Registry

Robert D Pittrow  1 , Harald Kaemmerer  2 , Annika Freiberger  2 , Stefan Achenbach  3 , Gert Bischoff  4 , Oliver Dewald  1 , Peter Ewert  2 , Anna Engel  3 , Sebastian Freilinger  2   5 , Jürgen Hörer  6   7 , Stefan Holdenrieder  8 , Michael Huntgeburth  2 , Ann-Sophie Kaemmerer-Suleiman  1 , Leonard B Pittrow  1 , Renate Kaulitz  9 , Frank Klawonn  10   11 , Fritz Mellert  1 , Nicole Nagdyman  2 , Rhoia C Neidenbach  12 , Wolfgang Schmiedeberg  2 , Benjamin A Pittrow  1 , Elsa Ury  2 , Fabian von Scheidt  2 , Frank Harig  1 , Mathieu N Suleiman  1
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Overweight and Obesity in Adults with Congenital Heart Disease and Heart Failure: Real-World Evidence from the PATHFINDER-CHD Registry

Robert D Pittrow et al. J Clin Med. .

Abstract

Background: The PATHFINDER-CHD Registry is a prospective, multicenter, non-interventional registry across tertiary care centers in Germany. The aim is to analyze real-world data on adults with congenital heart defects (ACHD) or hereditary connective tissue disorders who have manifest heart failure (HF), a history of HF, or are at significant risk of developing HF. This analysis investigates the prevalence and clinical impact of overweight and obesity in this unique population. Methods: As of 1st February, 2025, a total of 1490 ACHD had been enrolled. The mean age was 39.4 ± 12.4 years, and 47.9% were female. Patients were categorized according to Perloff's functional class and the Munich Heart Failure Classification for Congenital Heart Disease (MUC-HF-Class). Results: The most common congenital heart disease (CHD) in this cohort was Tetralogy of Fallot, transposition of the great arteries, and congenital aortic valve disease. Marfan syndrome was the most common hereditary connective tissue disease. Of the patients, 46.1% were classified as overweight (32.8%) or obese (13.3%), while 4.8% were underweight. The highest prevalence of overweight (47.1%) was observed among patients who had undergone palliative surgery, whereas untreated patients showed the highest proportion of normal weight (57.2%). Cyanotic patients were predominantly of normal weight. Patients with univentricular circulation exhibited significantly lower rates of overweight and obesity (35%; p = 0.001). Overweight and obesity were statistically significantly associated with arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and sleep apnea (all p < 0.001). High BMI was linked to increased use of HF-specific medications, including SGLT2 inhibitors (p = 0.040), diuretics (p = 0.014), and angiotensin receptor blockers (p = 0.005). Conclusions: The data highlight the clinical relevance of overweight and obesity in ACHD with HF, emphasizing the need for individualized prevention and treatment strategies. The registry serves as a critical foundation for the optimization of long-term care in this population.

Keywords: congenital heart disease; heart failure; obesity; overweight; real-world data; registry.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Age by decades.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Types of congenital heart defects. Bars show the number of patients.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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