Pediatric cardiology
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Pediatric cardiology · Dec 2011
Multicenter StudyTransesophageal electrophysiological evaluation of children with a history of supraventricular tachycardia in infancy.
Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) presenting in the neonatal period may resolve by 1 year of age. Predicting which patients require therapy beyond 1 year of age is desirable. Pediatric electrophysiology databases from two institutions were reviewed for patients with a history of infant SVT who underwent transesophageal electrophysiology study (TEEPS) after initial SVT and before 2 years of age. ⋯ Inducibility was not associated with age at presentation, age at TEEPS, ventricular dysfunction at presentation, presence of structural congenital heart disease, number of drugs required to initially control SVT, or SVT recurrence after initial control. Of 15 not inducible at TEEPS, none had known SVT recurrence off medications at median follow-up of 27 months (6-37 months). In conclusion, among patients having SVT in early infancy, (1) TEEPS results are not associated with clinical variables, (2) non-inducibility is a good indicator of lack of clinical recurrence at intermediate follow-up, and (3) AVNRT may be more prevalent in infancy than previously reported.
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Pediatric cardiology · Dec 2011
ReviewDexmedetomidine: applications for the pediatric patient with congenital heart disease.
This study aimed to provide a general description of the cardiovascular and hemodynamic effects of dexmedetomidine and an evidence-based review of the literature regarding its use in infants and children with congenital heart disease (CHD). A computerized bibliographic search of the literature on dexmedetomidine use in infants and children with CHD was performed. The cardiovascular effects of dexmedetomidine have been well studied in animal and adult human models. ⋯ Although not currently Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for the pediatric population, findings have shown dexmedetomidine to be effective in various clinical scenarios of patients with CHD including sedation during mechanical ventilation, prevention of procedure-related anxiety, prevention of emergence delirium and shivering after anesthesia, and treatment of withdrawal. Although dexmedetomidine may have limited utility for painful or invasive procedures, preliminary data suggest that the addition of ketamine to the regimen may offer benefits. When used during the perioperative period, additional benefits include blunting of the sympathetic stress response with a reduction of endogenous catecholamine release, a decrease in intraoperative anesthetic requirements, and a limitation of postoperative opioid requirements.
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Pediatric cardiology · Dec 2011
Outcomes and risk factors for mortality in premature neonates with critical congenital heart disease.
We sought to describe contemporary outcomes and identify risk factors for hospital mortality in premature neonates with critical congenital heart disease who were referred for early intervention. Neonates who were born before 37 weeks' gestation with critical congenital heart disease and admitted to our institution from 2002 to 2008 were included in this retrospective cohort study. Critical congenital heart disease was defined as a defect requiring surgical or transcatheter cardiac intervention or a defect resulting in death within the first 28 days of life. ⋯ For the 174 patients undergoing cardiac intervention, independent risk factors for mortality were a 5 min Apgar score ≤ 7, need for preintervention mechanical ventilation, and Risk Adjustment in Congenital Heart Surgery category ≥ 4 or not assignable. Mortality for premature infants with critical congenital heart disease who are referred for early intervention remains high. Patients with lower Apgar scores who receive preintervention mechanical ventilation and undergo more complex procedures are at greatest risk.
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Pediatric cardiology · Dec 2011
Outcomes of hypoplastic left heart syndrome in low-birth-weight patients.
The objective of this study was to assess outcomes of hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) patients weighing ≤ 2.5 kg throughout staged palliation. We performed a single-center retrospective review. Abstracted data included gestational age, birth weight, presence of noncardiac anomalies, and survival through Fontan. ⋯ Overall survival for palliated patients from birth through Fontan was 36%. Low-birth-weight neonates with HLHS have poor overall survival through the Fontan operation, with highest mortality following Stage 1 palliation. Being small for GA and the presence of noncardiac anomalies are important preoperative risk factors for early mortality.