title: [Amiodarone therapy in childhood: efficacy and side effects].
abstract: In the adult, Amiodarone is a very effective drug in the treatment of ventricular and supraventricular arrhythmias. The presence of severe side effects such as some alterations in the thyroid function and/or pulmonary fibrosis have restricted the use in children. Nevertheless, research has shown that there is a low incidence of collateral side effects and this therapy in infancy can be very effective. For this reason we evaluated a group of 27 children with supraventricular (19 patients) and ventricular (8 patients) arrhythmias. The mean age of patients treated was 6 +/- 5 years (2 days-13 years). The follow-up period was of 13 +/- 10 months. Amiodarone has been used in 9 patients intravenously, with the loading dose of 5 mg/Kg followed by an infusion of 10 mg/Kg/day. In 18 patients we administered the drug orally with a loading dose of 10 mg/Kg/day for a period of 10 days, thereafter the maintenance was of 5-7 mg/Kg/day for 5 days every week. The patients were all checked for thyroid function and Holter monitoring quarterly; they were given an ophthalmologic examination (every 6 months) and a chest-x-ray and echocardiography annually. The efficacy of intravenous treatment was judged successful in 56% of patients, partially successful in 22% and ineffective in the remaining 22%. The oral treatment was completely effective in 77% of children, partially in 5% and ineffective in 18%. In one case we had to suspend the therapy because we found high values of T3 and T4. During the treatment, in 86% of cases, we had blood level fluctuations of T3 and T4, however these did not exceed the normal ranges. The most important side effect observed has been the photosensitivity found in 22% of children. Moreover we observed a reduction of sinusal automatism, which was more marked in patients less than year old. In 4 cases an A/V block of first degree appeared. In all patients we found changes of ventricular repolarization, while corneal deposits appeared in only one child after a year of therapy and did not cause an impairment of visual acuity. In conclusion we can assert that Amiodarone is a very effective drug in children, specially in small babies, where it can safety be used as a first choice drug.
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000638:Amiodarone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000139:chemically induced; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000187:drug effects; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D008297:Male; D010787:Photosensitivity Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D000638:Amiodarone
vernacular_title: La terapia con amiodarone in età pediatrica: efficacia ed effetti collaterali.