title: [Evaluation of the effect of carvedilol in children with dilated cardiomyopathy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of carvedilol administrated during 8 months in children with heart failure secondary to dilated cardiomyopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We initiated carvedilol in patients who, despite optimization of standard treatment, had persistent left ventricular ejection fraction < or = 40% and evaluated the systolic and diastolic left ventricular function before and after 4 and 8 months of treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  19 patients were included in the study, 10 women; median age: 6.7 years and 17 +/- 12.4 months after the diagnosis. The ejection fraction improved significantly from entry to eight months (median: 33.5 to 52.6%, p = 0.01) as did the shortening fraction (m: 14.8 to 25.8%, p = 0.01). The myocardial performance index abnormal in all 19 patients became normal in 5 at the end of study. In addition mitral Doppler flow which was altered in 9 improved in 3 and pulmonary venous flow abnormal in all patients improved in 13. Only 1 patient presented minimal adverse effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Carvedilol added to standard therapy for dilated cardiomyopathy improves left ventricular function, is well tolerated, and has minimal adverse effects in childhood.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, Mexico, D.F.
authors.forename: Norma Alicia Balderrábano
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Saucedo
authors.forename: Alfredo Vizcaíno
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Alarcón
authors.forename: Gonzalo Espinosa
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Islas
authors.forename: Lorenzo Reyes
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: De La Cruz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002227:Carbazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000077261:Carvedilol; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011412:Propanolamines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D002227:Carbazoles; D011412:Propanolamines; D000077261:Carvedilol