Prenatal and Postnatal Cardiopulmonary Phenotyping and Risk Stratification in Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) remains one of the most challenging neonatal conditions, associated with high morbidity and mortality due to the complex interplay of pulmonary hypoplasia, pulmonary hypertension, cardiac dysfunction, and persistent fetal circulatory patterns. Despite advances in neonatal intensive care, outcomes remain highly variable, and optimal risk stratification and individualized management continue to pose significant clinical challenges.With advances in prenatal and postnatal risk stratification in CDH, the recognition and risk stratification of this vulnerable population has evolved, with specific focus on physiology directed care and a multimodal approach to phenotype-based management. In the same context, there is increased recognition of minimally invasive and non-invasive methods of monitoring neonates with CDH, with focus on refined echocardiographic phenotyping, advanced scoring systems, and multimodal physiological monitoring. These modalities offer promising opportunities to improve early risk prediction, guide therapeutic decisions, and standardize outcome assessment across centers.This Research Topic aims to consolidate emerging evidence and foster interdisciplinary collaboration on prenatal and postnatal cardiopulmonary phenotyping and prognostic assessment in infants with CDH. At the same time, it recognizes CDH as a model disease for broader neonatal cardiopulmonary disorders and welcomes contributions that extend these approaches to other high-risk neonatal populations, including persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), meconium aspiration syndrome, preterm associated pulmonary hypertension, severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and complex congenital heart disease. By highlighting transferable tools and frameworks, the collection seeks to advance physiology-based medicine across neonatal intensive care.The primary objectives of this Research Topic are as follows:- To evaluate and explore novel methods including biomarkers, validate echocardiographic and physiological phenotyping strategies, clarify the prognostic utility of severity and treatment intensity indices, with specific emphasis on translating innovative diagnostic tools into clinically actionable strategies that improve short- and long-term outcomes.- To promote the development of standardized protocols for monitoring, reporting, and outcome benchmarking in neonatal cardiopulmonary disease.We welcome original research, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and methodological or translational studies addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:· Novel biochemical biomarkers (e.g., urinary or serum NT-proBNP and related markers) for assessing pulmonary hypertension and cardiac dysfunction in CDH and other neonatal cardiopulmonary conditions· Novel echocardiographic markers that may help inform impeding clinical status change and/or with prognostic utility in CDH· Echocardiographic phenotyping and validation of biomarker–echo concordance· Prognostic accuracy and clinical utility of severity indices, including oxygenation, inotrope, ventilation, and composite scoring systems· Influence of ductal patency, shunt physiology, and transitional circulation on outcomes and therapeutic strategies· Multimodal cardiopulmonary monitoring and integration into clinical decision-making· Systematic reviews and evidence syntheses to inform best practices and clinical pathwaysBy bringing together interdisciplinary perspectives from neonatology, cardiology, surgery, and translational science, this Research Topic aims to improve risk stratification, enable earlier and more precise intervention, and ultimately enhance outcomes for infants with CDH and related high-risk neonatal cardiopulmonary disorders. Topic editors: Srirupa Hari Gopal, Abhijit Bhattacharya Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/79719/prenatal-and-postnatal-cardiopulmonary-phenotyping-and-risk-stratification-in-congenital-diaphragmatic-hernia