Evaluation of low dose prostaglandin E1 treatment for ductus dependent congenital heart disease

Adverse Drug Reactions in Children with Congenital Heart Disease: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is one of the leading causes of death. Safe and timely medical interventions, especially in children, can prolong their survival. The drugs prescribed for children with CHD are mainly based on the outcomes of drug therapy in adults with cardiovascular diseases, and their adverse drug reactions (ADRs) might be different. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate ADRs in children with CHD.

METHODS

This was a scoping review conducted in 2023. PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, Ovid, ProQuest, and Google Scholar databases were searched. All studies that reported ADRs for children with CHD and were published in English by 1 November 2023 were included in this study. Finally, the results were reported using a content analysis method.

RESULTS

A total of 87 articles were included in the study. The results showed that symptoms/signs/clinical findings, and cardiovascular disorders were the most common ADRs reported in children with CHD. The results also showed that most of the ADRs were reported for prostaglandin E1, amiodarone, prostaglandin E2, dexmedetomidine, and captopril, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The review underscores the wide array of ADRs in children with CHD, particularly in antiarrhythmics, diuretics, beta-blockers, anticoagulants, and vasodilators, which affected cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, metabolic, genitourinary, gastrointestinal, and musculoskeletal systems. Tailored treatment is imperative, considering individual patient characteristics, especially in the vulnerable groups. Further research is essential for optimizing dosing, pharmacogenetics, and alternative therapies to enhance patient outcomes in CHD management.

Low-dose prostaglandin E1 is safe and effective for critical congenital heart disease: is it time to revisit the dosing guidelines?

INTRODUCTION

Prostaglandin E1 is used to maintain ductal patency in critical congenital heart disease (CHD). The standard starting dose of prostaglandin E1 is 0.05 µg/kg/minute. Lower doses are frequently used, but the efficacy and safety of a low-dose regimen of prostaglandin E1 has not been established.

METHODS

We investigated neonates with critical CHD who were started on prostaglandin E1 at 0.01 µg/kg/minute. We reviewed 154 consecutive patients who were separated into three anatomical groups: obstruction to systemic circulation, obstruction to pulmonary circulation, and inadequate mixing (d-transposition of the great arteries). Treatment failure rates and two commonly reported side effects, respiratory depression and seizure, were studied.

RESULTS

A total of 26 patients (17%) required a dose increase in prostaglandin E1. Patients with pulmonary obstruction were more likely to require higher doses than patients with systemic obstruction (15/49, 31% versus 9/88, 10%, p = 0.003). Twenty-eight per cent of patients developed respiratory depression and 8% of patients needed mechanical ventilation. Prematurity (<37 week gestation) was the primary risk factor for respiratory depression. No patient required dose escalation or tracheal intubation while on transport. No patient had a seizure attributed to prostaglandin E1.

CONCLUSIONS

Prostaglandin E1 at an initial and maintenance dose of 0.01 µg/kg/minute was sufficient to maintain ductal patency in 83% of our cohort. The incidence of respiratory depression requiring mechanical ventilation was low and was mostly seen in premature infants. Starting low-dose prostaglandin E1 at 0.01 µg/kg/minute is a safe and effective therapy for critical CHD.

Pediatric congenital heart diseases: Patterns of presentation to the emergency department of a tertiary care hospital

Objective:

To observe presentation of Pediatric congenital cardiac defects to the Emergency Department (ED) of a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan.

Methods:

This is a retrospective chart review of patients under the age of 16 years with congenital cardiac defects presenting to the Emergency Department of Aga Khan University Hospital over a period of eighteen months, from January 2012 to June 2013. Study population was divided into two groups; first group constituted children with undiagnosed congenital cardiac defects, whereas second group constituted children with diagnosed congenial cardiac defects presented to ED. In previously diagnose cases each visit was counted as a separate encounter.

Results:

Out of 133 children, 44 (33.5%) were diagnosed congenital cardiac disease for the first time (Group-1) in ED, while 89 (66.5%) children were diagnosed cases of congenital heart disease (Group-2). Among Group-1; main reasons for ED visits were cyanosis, cardiac failure, murmur evaluation and cardiogenic shock where as in Group-2; main presentations were cardiac failure, hyper cyanotic spells, gastroenteritis, lower respiratory tract infection, and post-operative issues. There were total 13 deaths.

Conclusion:

High index of suspicion is necessary for early diagnosis and management of children with congenital heart disease in the pediatric emergency department.

Caffeine Citrate for the Prevention of Apnea Associated With Alprostadil Infusions

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the incidence of apnea and requirement for positive pressure ventilation in patients who received caffeine for prevention while receiving alprostadil compared with those who did not receive caffeine.

METHODS

This was a single-center, retrospective study of patients who received alprostadil over a 7-year time frame. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on whether they received caffeine for prevention of apnea while receiving alprostadil. The incidence of apnea and requirements for positive pressure ventilation were recorded.

RESULTS

A total of 64 patients who received alprostadil were included for review. Thirty-two patients received caffeine for the prevention of apnea, and 32 patients received alprostadil only. Alprostadil doses were similar between the 2 groups (0.04-0.05 mcg/kg/min). Seven patients had a documented apneic event; 3 in the group given caffeine and 4 in the control group. One patient in each group required intubation because of apnea. All patients with documented apnea were on low-dose alprostadil therapy (<0.05 mcg/kg/min). Three patients had apnea after dose reductions had been made. Six out of the seven patients experienced apnea within the first 24 hours after the infusion. Only 1 patient experienced multiple apneic events.

CONCLUSIONS

In this small sample, there was no difference in incidence of apnea between patients on low-dose alprostadil who received caffeine for prevention and those who did not. Despite the use of low-dose alprostadil therapy and dose reductions, the incidence of apnea remains low, and most patients did not have repeated apneic events or require intubation.

Therapeutic Hypothermia After Perinatal Asphyxia in Infants With Severe, Ductal-Dependent Congenital Heart Disease

OBJECTIVES

Patients with severe congenital heart disease and cardiac anomalies such as restrictive foramen ovale, intact atrial septum, or narrowing of ductus arteriosus are at risk for perinatal asphyxia, leading to hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. We hypothesize that therapeutic hypothermia can be applied to these patients and seek to investigate feasibility and safety of this method.

DESIGN

A retrospective observational study.

SETTING

The Department of Neonatology of Charité, University Hospital, Berlin, Germany.

PATIENTS

Newborns with severe congenital heart disease and perinatal asphyxia were retrospectively analyzed over a 6-year period.

INTERVENTIONS

Application of therapeutic hypothermia.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Ten patients with perinatal asphyxia were enrolled in this study. All patients received low-dose prostaglandin E1 for ductal maintenance. Three patients without evidence for hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy did not receive therapeutic hypothermia. One patient died at the age of 15 hours, and therapeutic hypothermia was discontinued after 19 hours in another patient with severe arterial hypotension. Adverse effects during hypothermia included respiratory insufficiency (100%), arterial hypotension (71%), the need for inotropic support (71%), and pulmonary hypertension (43%), the latter associated with prolonged postoperative inotropic support. No neurologic complications occurred before or after the surgery. Operative outcome of surviving patients was excellent. Early brain MRI scans were suggestive of good neurodevelopmental prognosis for most patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Therapeutic hypothermia can be applied to patients with severe congenital heart disease and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Low-dose prostaglandin E1 infusions are safe for ductal maintenance during cooling, but cardiopulmonary adverse effects should be anticipated.

Use of prostaglandins in duct-dependent congenital heart conditions

Congenital heart disease (CHD) remains a leading cause of infant mortality, which is even higher in infants with undiagnosed duct-dependent CHDs. Up to 39%-50% of infants with critical CHD are being discharged undiagnosed from the hospital. Infants with duct-dependent critical CHD remain well during the fetal period and may deteriorate when the ductus arteriosus (commonly called 'duct') closes after birth. It is critical to open or maintain ductus arteriosus patent in infants with duct-dependent CHDs. Prostaglandin E1 (alprostadil marketed as 'Prostin VR ') and prostaglandin E2 (dinoprostone) are used to maintain a patent ductus arteriosus and the dose of medication depends on the clinical presentation. Delay in starting prostaglandin infusion can have deleterious effects on infants and can even lead to death. These infants often present as an emergency, and professionals caring for these infants need to have a good understanding of these conditions and medications used for ductal patency.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in Infants and Children With Cardiac Disease: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Cardiac arrest occurs at a higher rate in children with heart disease than in healthy children. Pediatric basic life support and advanced life support guidelines focus on delivering high-quality resuscitation in children with normal hearts. The complexity and variability in pediatric heart disease pose unique challenges during resuscitation. A writing group appointed by the American Heart Association reviewed the literature addressing resuscitation in children with heart disease. MEDLINE and Google Scholar databases were searched from 1966 to 2015, cross-referencing pediatric heart disease with pertinent resuscitation search terms. The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association classification of recommendations and levels of evidence for practice guidelines were used. The recommendations in this statement concur with the critical components of the 2015 American Heart Association pediatric basic life support and pediatric advanced life support guidelines and are meant to serve as a resuscitation supplement. This statement is meant for caregivers of children with heart disease in the prehospital and in-hospital settings. Understanding the anatomy and physiology of the high-risk pediatric cardiac population will promote early recognition and treatment of decompensation to prevent cardiac arrest, increase survival from cardiac arrest by providing high-quality resuscitations, and improve outcomes with postresuscitation care.

Incidence of Fever and Positive Bacterial Cultures in Neonates Receiving Prostaglandin

Prostaglandin E (PGE₁) is necessary to maintain ductus arteriosus patency in many newborns with congenital heart disease. Because PGE₁ therapy commonly leads to fever, and given this population's fragile state, a complete sepsis workup is often performed in febrile, but otherwise asymptomatic, patients. This practice of liberal evaluation with bacterial cultures, empiric antibiotic treatment, and delays in essential surgical intervention may result in poor resource utilization and lead to increased iatrogenic morbidity. This study sought to determine the incidence of fever and culture-positive infection in patients receiving PGE₁, and identify diagnostic variables that predict culture-positive infection. The study included a single-center retrospective review of all neonates receiving PGE₁ between 2011 and 2014. Logistic regression and receiver operator characteristic analysis were used to identify significant predictors of positive bacterial cultures. Among 435 neonates, 175 (40%) had fevers (≥ 38.3 °C) while concurrently receiving PGE₁, but only 9 (2%) had culture-positive infection and 1 (< 1%) had culture-positive bacteremia. Among 558 cultures collected, only 16 (3%) had bacterial growth. Multivariable analysis revealed age (p = 0.049, AUC 0.604), hospital length of stay (p = 0.002, AUC 0.764) and hypoxemia (p = 0.044, AUC 0.727) as the only significant predictors of positive cultures. Fever (p = 0.998, AUC 0.424) was not a significant predictor. In conclusion, given that fever occurs frequently in neonates receiving PGE₁ and it is a very non-specific marker and not a predictor of positive cultures, the common practice of complete sepsis workup should be re-examined in febrile patients at low risk of bacterial illness.

Arachidonic Acid-Derived Bioactive Lipids: Their Role and the Role for Their Inhibitors in Dermatology

Background:

In addition to corticosteroids, there are increasing numbers of anti-inflammatory agents that specifically target bioactive lipids generated from arachidonic acid. Knowledge of the diverse mechanisms of action of these different bioactive lipids holds promise in the therapy of a wide spectrum of cutaneous and systemic disorders.

Objective:

Therapeutic manipulations of these lipid molecules through inhibition, stimulation, or direct replacement have broad physiologic effects. These therapeutic strategies not only modulate inflammation, pain, and hemostatic parameters, they also play a role in cardiac, respiratory, renal, and gastrointestinal function and disease, as well as in angiogenesis and in factors that control cell growth and apoptosis important in carcinogenesis.

Conclusion:

Newer drug discovery methods, including combinatorial chemistry with molecular modeling, have made it possible to develop inhibitors and analogs with increasing specificity and bioactivity and decreasing toxicity. Although the application of these analogs and inhibitors for cutaneous disease is limited today, either as primary agents or adjuvant therapy, these drugs will have a place in our therapeutic regimes of the future. We present a review of the therapeutic agents now available from manipulation of these bioactive lipids, and their role and future in dermatology.

Preoperative Stabilization of Infants With Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome Before Stage I Palliation

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome is a severe form of congenital heart disease that results in single-ventricle physiology. Although surgical palliation in infants with this syndrome is widely agreed on in practice, variation occurs in both surgical and medical management. Perinatal factors that affect preoperative management include the subtype of the syndrome and the patient’s birth weight, gestational age, and genetic abnormalities. The general aspects of perioperative stabilization and management are monitoring, use of vasoactive infusions, ventilatory support, and nutrition. Management strategies for balancing single-ventricle physiology are aimed at addressing the 3 major causes of desaturation: diminished pulmonary blood flow, low mixed venous oxygen saturation, and pulmonary venous desaturation.

Long-Term Prostaglandin E1 Infusion for Newborns with Critical Congenital Heart Disease

Prostaglandin E1 is crucial for keeping the patent ductus arteriosus in critical congenital heart disease for the survival and palliation of particularly prematurely born babies until a cardiosurgical intervention is available. In this study, the side effects of prostaglandin E1 in newborns with critical congenital heart disease and clinical outcomes were evaluated. Thirty-five newborns diagnosed with critical congenital heart disease were treated with prostaglandin E1 between January 2012 and September 2014 at our hospital. Patient charts were examined for prostaglandin E1 side effects (metabolic, gastric outlet obstruction, apnea), clinical status, and prognosis. Acquired data were analyzed in the SPSS 20.0 program. Patients with birth weight under 2500 g needed more days of prostaglandin E1 infusion than ones with birthweight over 2500 g (P = 0.016). The ratio of patients with birth weight under 2500 g who received prostaglandin E1 longer than 7 days was higher than the patients with birth weight over 2500 g (P = 0.02). Eighteen side effects were encountered in 11 of 35 patients (31%). Of these side effects, 1 patient had 4, 4 patients had 2, and 6 patients had only 1 side effect. Discontinuation of the therapy was never needed. Prostaglandin E1 is an accepted therapy modality for survival and outcome in critical congenital heart disease in particularly low-birth-weight babies until a surgical intervention is available. Side effects are not less encountered but are almost always manageable, and discontinuation is not needed.

Efficacy of very low-dose prostaglandin E1 in duct-dependent congenital heart disease

AIM

The present study aims to define the lowest effective prostaglandin E1 dose in patients with inadequacy of pulmonary blood flow and/or intracardiac blood mixing and those with inadequate systemic blood flow.

METHODS

Patients with inadequacy of both pulmonary blood flow and/or blood mixing (Group 1) and those with inadequate systemic blood flow (Group 2) were retrospectively evaluated in two separate groups with regard to the prostaglandin E1 starting dose given in the referring facility, the lowest and the highest dose administered in our centre, treatment duration, adverse effects, and administered treatment.

RESULTS

No difference between the groups could be detected with respect to sex or birth weight (p=0.95 and 0.42, respectively). Group 1 and Group 2 were statistically similar in aspect of prostaglandin treatment duration (9.73±0.81 days versus 11.6±1.05 days, p=0.064). When compared with Group 2, the initial, maintenance and lowest efficient doses of prostaglandin E1 treatment were significantly lower and the titrated dose of prostaglandin E1 was significantly higher in Group 1 (p=0.001 for each).

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate that the infusion of prostaglandin at a very low dose (0.003-0.005 mcg/kg/minute) is sufficient to maintain the patency of the ductus arteriosus. A higher dose of prostaglandin E1 may be necessary in patients with inadequate systemic blood flow.

Reappraisal of the prostaglandin E1 dose for early newborns with patent ductus arteriosus-dependent pulmonary circulation

OBJECTIVES

The usual initial dose of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) for ductal-dependent congenital heart disease (CHD) is 50-100 ng/kg/minute. The aim of this study was to review our experience of a low initial dose of PGE1 treatment in early newborns with congenital heart disease and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)-dependent pulmonary flow.

METHODS

We reviewed the clinical data of 33 newborns with CHD and PDA-dependent pulmonary circulation who were admitted from January 2005 to December 2010. Clinical parameters were collected, including, PGE1 dosage, oxygenation condition, vital signs, and other related clinical parameters during admission. Echocardiography was employed to assess the status of the PDA as clinically indicated.

RESULTS

Thirty-three newborns, including 17 males and 16 females, with CHD and PDA-dependent pulmonary circulation were enrolled in the study. Their mean age was 2.9 ± 5.1 (within the range of 1-26) days with a median of 1.0 day. Among the 33 cases, 25 were diagnosed with pulmonary atresia and eight with critical pulmonary stenosis. Twenty-five of our patients were treated with the initial low-dosage regimen of 20.0 ± 7.4 ng/kg/minute in our neonatal intensive care unit. None of these 25 patients with had significant apnea necessitating intubation and none had hypotension, fever, convulsion or cortical hyperostosis. Three of the eight patients who were treated with high-dose PGE1 (39 ± 13.2 ng/kg/minute) before referral to our unit had apnea and intubation after PGE1 use. All patients had adequate PDA patency with a low maintenance dose of 10.5 ± 5.3 ng/kg/minute before operation under our protocol.

CONCLUSION

In our experience, adequate PDA flows in early newborns with CHD and PDA-dependent pulmonary circulation could be achieved at a much lower dose than recommended in the literature. The lower dose of PGE1 also causes much fewer complications, such as apnea, fever, and hypotension. For early newborns with CHD and PDA-dependent pulmonary circulation, treatment with a lower initial dose of PGE1 of 20 ng/kg/minute and a maintenance dose of 10 ng/kg/minute is recommended.

Transporting newborns with transposition of the great arteries

AIMS

The aim of the study was to examine the prevalence and management of outborn babies with a post-natally confirmed diagnosis of transposition of the great arteries (TGA) requiring transport by the Newborn and Paediatric Emergency Transport Service (NETS), New South Wales during the epoch 1991-2010.

METHOD

A retrospective audit of NETS database and case notes. The physiological status, interventions and any complications encountered from the point of referral to NETS (pre-transport), stabilisation (transport) and subsequent admission to the receiving hospital (post-transport) were evaluated.

RESULTS

One hundred fifty-seven infants with TGA were transported, with an average of eight per year (1:11,598 births). Seven (4%) had an antenatal diagnosis, and 72 (46%) had a post-natal diagnosis prior to referral. Physiological and clinical parameters demonstrated overall clinical stability; however, 47% of the babies had a PaO(2) <30 mmHg, and approximately one-fifth had oxygen saturations <70%. Rates of mechanical ventilation and prostaglandin E(1) administration were approximately 50%. A quarter of transported babies encountered a transport-related event, including one death and two babies for which a decision was reached to forego life-sustaining treatment at the referring hospital.

CONCLUSIONS

Most newborns with TGA remain stable or improve during transport. There is a rate of adverse events; however, this reinforces the need to facilitate delivery where there is ready access to interventional paediatric cardiology services.

The ductus arteriosus: physiology, regulation, and functional and congenital anomalies

Over the last three decades, knowledge about fundamental and clinical aspects of the ductus arteriosus has substantially improved, leading to considerable progress in the management of various cardiac diseases involving the ductus. The identification of the mechanisms regulating ductal patency led to design pharmacological drugs to achieve medical closure of PDA in premature infants, or inversely to maintain patency in neonates with duct-dependent congenital heart diseases. Concurrently, widespread availability of echocardiography has improved the detection of congenital PDA, resulting in earlier treatment. Closure of PDA, by either surgery or transcatheter techniques, can now be achieved safely, resulting in a decrease in the incidence of severe complications of PDA.

Alteration of Therapeutic Efficacy of Lipid Microspheres Incorporating Prostaglandin E1 by Mixing with Aqueous Solution

To clarify whether the therapeutic efficacy of lipid microspheres incorporating prostaglandin E(1) (lipo-PGE(1)) is altered when mixed and coinfused with clinical solutions, the original lipo-PGE(1) solution (20 microg/mL) was mixed with three clinical infusion solutions: 0.9% sodium chloride solution, Hartmann's solution, and fat emulsion for parenteral nutrition. These diluted lipo-PGE(1) (2 microg/mL) solutions were administered to rats, and their hemodynamic and antiplatelet effects were examined. Peripheral blood flow was increased by 76 +/- 4% from the control level when the lipo-PGE(1) solution diluted with the fat emulsion was administered, while it was increased by 43 +/- 6% and 36 +/- 7%, respectively, when the lipo-PGE(1) solutions diluted with 0.9% sodium chloride and Hartmann's solution were administered. As for the antiplatelet effects of the lipo-PGE(1) solutions, the progression of digit gangrene in thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO) rats was significantly suppressed by the administration of lipo-PGE(1) solution diluted with the fat emulsion, but it was not suppressed by lipo-PGE(1) solution diluted with 0.9% sodium chloride. These findings indicate that the therapeutic efficacy of lipo-PGE(1) is decreased when it is mixed with an aqueous solution such as 0.9% sodium chloride.

Transporting newborn infants with suspected duct dependent congenital heart disease on low-dose prostaglandin E1 without routine mechanical ventilation

AIM

To evaluate the safety of transporting newborn infants with suspected duct dependent congenital heart disease (CHD) treated with prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) without routine mechanical ventilation.

METHODS

A retrospective population-based audit of newborn infants with suspected CHD transported on PGE1 by the New South Wales newborn and paediatric Transport Service from 1995 through 2005.

RESULTS

Mechanical ventilation was not used prior to treatment with PGE1 in 94 (31%) of the 300 infants. The indications for mechanical ventilation in the remaining 206 infants (69%) included elective mechanical ventilation because of the intention to use PGE1 (n = 125) and severe hypoxaemia, acidosis or cardiorespiratory failure prior to commencing PGE1 (n = 81). 16 (17%) of the 94 infants who were not ventilated initially required mechanical ventilation before transport because of apnoea, which developed within one hour of commencing PGE1. 2 (2.6%) of the 78 infants transported without mechanical ventilation developed apnoea in transit and both were receiving >or=15 ng/kg/min of PGE1. Apnoea was more likely to occur in non-ventilated infants when the PGE1 infusion rate was >or=15 ng/kg/min compared with <15 ng/kg/min (14/33 vs 4/61, chi(2) = 15.55, p<.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Newborn infants with suspected duct dependent CHD treated with low dose PGE1 (<15 ng/kg/min) may not require mechanical ventilation for safe transport.

Delivery room and early postnatal management of neonates who have prenatally diagnosed congenital heart disease

Advances in fetal echocardiography are providing highly accurate diagnoses of congenital heart disease prior to delivery, making it possible to plan the delivery-room management of these newborns. Knowledge of the expected transitional circulation occurring with birth and the pathophysiologic implications of congenital heart disease increases the likelihood of providing efficient and effective therapies. The majority of neonates who have congenital heart disease will not require delivery room resuscitation in excess of routine care; however, a small number of prenatally diagnosed cardiac lesions are more likely to require urgent postnatal intervention immediately following delivery. These cardiac lesions include transposition of the great arteries with intact ventricular septum and restrictive atrial septum, hypoplastic left heart syndrome with intact atrial septum, obstructed total anomalous pulmonary venous return, and complete congenital heart block. Prenatal diagnosis allows for coordination of care surrounding delivery and during the early postnatal hours.

Gene transfer of prostaglandin synthase maintains patency of the newborn lamb arterial duct

In congenital heart disease with left- or right-sided obstruction, prostaglandin E (PGE)1 or PGE2 is infused to maintain ductus arteriosus (DA) patency. We hypothesized that transfection of the DA with PGE synthase would lead to a greater production of PGE2 in situ and, hence, patency of the DA. The cDNA for human prostaglandin synthase was sequenced and ligated into a eukaryotic expression vector. The negative control was created by ligating the cDNA encoding the bacterial protein chloramphenicol acetyltransferase into the same plasmid. Transfection (600 microg DNA) was achieved in lambs within the first 24 h of life using the hemagglutinating virus of Japan (HVJ)-liposome transfection method with a custom-made, basket-weave-perforated catheter. Echocardiography was performed to assess DA patency until the time of sacrifice. To confirm expression of the transgene, PGE2 concentration was measured in organ culture of the DA by immunoassay and by Western immunoblotting of homogenized DA tissue. Patency of the DA was demonstrated by color Doppler in all the lambs (7/7) in which the PGE synthase was delivered, whereas functional closure was seen in the control group (6/6). The PGE2 concentration in the culture medium of the explanted DA in the treatment group was 3-fold higher than that of the control groups. Western immunoblotting confirmed the presence of PGE synthase in the treatment group. Gene transfer of PGE synthase to the DA is feasible and will maintain patency for at least 1 wk.

Congenital cardiac emergencies

Cardiac emergencies are rare in children in comparison to adults. The pathophysiology differs; ischaemic heart disease is virtually unknown, whereas most congenital cardiac emergencies occur secondary to structural heart disease. Of the myriad lesions many decompensate in the perinatal period, usually in association with arterial duct closure. Subsequent rapid haemodynamic deterioration may lead to a moribund infant in extremis at presentation and with more home deliveries and early discharges such infants may present not only to paediatricians, but to accident and emergency departments, GPs and community midwives.

Prostaglandin E1 treatment in patent ductus arteriosus dependent congenital heart defects

Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) treatment can be life saving in patients suffering from ductus dependent congenital heart defect. We analyzed the indications and side-effects of PGE1 therapy over a five-year period. The purpose of the study was also to examine whether a change in serum electrolyte levels could be detected. Forty-nine patients were treated with PGE1 during this period. PGE1 treatment was indicated by ductus dependent systemic circulation in 16 cases, ductus dependent pulmonary circulation in 17 cases, transposition of the great arteries in 13 cases and pulmonary hypertension (persistent fetal circulation) in three cases. As early side-effects of the treatment, fever occurred in 27/49 cases while apnoea was observed in 15 patients. In a one-week-old neonate with coarctation of the aorta grade III intraventricular hemorrhage developed. A mild decrease of sodium, potassium and chloride levels and a slight shift of pH levels toward metabolic alkalosis could be detected after one day and one week of PGE1 treatment. Because of these side-effects of PGE1 patients should be monitored in an intensive care unit. According to our observations electrolyte levels may exhibit a slight decrease; however, in the case of a short-term therapy extra salt supplementation is not necessary.

Emergency department presentations of pediatric congenital heart disease

Numerous studies have described the pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, and treatment of the many forms of congenital heart disease (CHD), but none has specifically addressed the reasons CHD patients present to the Emergency Department (ED). The objective of this study was to provide a descriptive analysis of the ED presentations of acute and seriously ill pediatric CHD patients. We intended to capture a subset of acutely ill CHD patients who had presenting signs and symptoms that were potentially attributable to their underlying CHD. Recognizing the more common presentation patterns for patients with CHD may be of benefit. Adhering to the basic principles of airway, breathing and circulatory (ABC) management is essential when caring for critically ill CHD patients. Patients with complex CHD are often very difficult to correctly diagnose and manage in the ED. They often require extensive inpatient observation and evaluation. A low threshold for inpatient management of these high-risk patients is warranted.

Lactacidosis in the neonate is minimized by prenatal detection of congenital heart disease

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the impact of prenatal detection of congenital heart disease on preventing severe preoperative lactacidosis.

DESIGN

Patients operated upon for congenital heart disease during the first 31 days of life (n = 209) were studied retrospectively, 21 were diagnosed prenatally and 188 patients had not been diagnosed prenatally. Preoperative lactate, pH and base excess were evaluated.

RESULTS

Differences were noted in preoperative pH (7.28 +/- 0.03 vs. 7.24 +/- 0.01, P = 0.29), base excess (-5.83 +/- 0.64 vs. -6.93 +/- 0.46 mmol/L, P = 0.10) and lactate (3.05 +/- 0.35 vs. 6.08 +/- 0.45 mmol/L, P < 0.001), indicating a significant difference in blood lactate values in favor of the prenatally diagnosed group.

CONCLUSIONS

Prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease and the resulting immediate postnatal care prevent lactate increase in the preoperative period of these patients. This may decrease the risk of cerebral damage and result in the patient being in better condition at surgery.

Prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease affects preoperative acidosis in the newborn patient

OBJECTIVES

Congenital heart disease is the leading cause of death in the first year after birth. Prenatal diagnosis of the disease can optimize the preoperative condition of the patient and may help in the prevention of acidosis. In this retrospective study we compared the occurrence of metabolic acidosis in patients with and without prenatal diagnosis of a congenital heart disease.

METHODS

Data of 408 patients who needed an operation for congenital heart disease within 31 days of life were analyzed retrospectively. Arterial blood gases at fixed time intervals and worst blood gas of 81 patients with and 327 patients without a prenatal diagnosis were compared, categorizing the patients on ductus dependency, anticipated univentricular or biventricular repair, and left-sided, right-sided, or no heart obstruction.

RESULTS

In the overall group significant differences in lowest pH, lowest base excess, and highest lactate level were found, with metabolic acidosis more common among the patients with a postnatal diagnosis. In the group of patients with ductus-dependent congenital heart disease, the difference between patients receiving a prenatal and those receiving a postnatal diagnosis was more significant than in the group with non-ductus-dependent lesions. Analyzing patients with right-sided, left-sided, and no obstruction separately, significant differences were found in the group with left-sided heart obstruction for lowest pH and base excess and in the group with right-sided heart obstruction for lowest base excess.

CONCLUSIONS

Prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease minimizes metabolic acidosis in patients with congenital heart disease and may be associated with improved long-term outcome and prevention of cerebral damage among this fragile group of patients, although no significant effect on direct surgical outcome was encountered.

The future potential of eicosanoids and their inhibitors in paediatric practice

Eicosanoids may have many potential uses in paediatric practice. Since E-type prostaglandins were first applied to treat ductus-dependent congenital heart diseases in paediatric practice, many eicosanoid-related drugs have been examined for the treatment of pathophysiological conditions in children. Prostaglandins (PG), thromboxane (TX) and leukotrienes (LT), produced from arachidonic acid in the phospholipids of cell membranes, are considered to be biologically active eicosanoids. Corticosteroids reduce eicosanoid production by impairing phospholipase A2 activation, while cyclo-oxygenase inhibiting drugs such as the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) suppress PG and TX production. PGE1 (alprostadil) and PGE2 (dinoprostone) therapy has been shown to improve oxygenation in neonates whose pulmonary and systemic blood flow are dependent on a patent ductus arteriosus, while epoprostenol (prostacyclin, PGI2) and beraprost (beraprost sodium), another PGI2 analogue, are often effective as acute vasodilators in paediatric pulmonary hypertension. Synthetic PGE analogues such as misoprostol have gastric antisecretory and cytoprotective effects, and are effective in both prophylaxis and treatment of NSAID-induced gastroduodenal mucosal lesions. Both alprostadil and epoprostenol have been shown to be effective in treating peripheral vascular and skin diseases. Since TX, a platelet aggregator and vasoconstrictor, has been implicated as a potential mediator of asthma, its inhibition by agents such as seratrodast (AA-2414) and ozagrel (OKY-046) has proven effective in the treatment of adult patients with asthma; studies of these agents in paediatric patients is awaited with interest. Developing the clinical use of eicosanoid-related drugs and assessing the potential use of these drugs requires a 3-phase approach: reducing the complications in the treatment of neonates with ductus-dependent congenital heart diseases and primary pulmonary hypertension requiring PGE1, PGE2 and PGI2 therapy; conducting clinical trials of the synthesis inhibitors and receptor antagonists of TXA2 and LT that have already been used in the treatment of adult patients with bronchial asthma; and evaluating the efficacy of new modulators of eicosanoid biosynthesis, such as eicosapentaenoic acid and antiallergy drugs, in the treatment of eicosanoid-related diseases in children.