title: Cardiac function in pediatric septic shock survivors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the long-term effects of septic shock on cardiac function in children treated with inotropic and/or vasoconstrictive agents for 24 hours or longer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary pediatric intensive care unit and outpatient follow-up clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred eight of 144 eligible children who were admitted to our tertiary pediatric intensive care unit with septic shock from 1995 through 2005 and were alive in 2006 were invited to participate and visit our outpatient follow-up clinic. Fifty-two healthy controls were included.
  
  
  METHODS
  Septic shock survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  History, physical examination, electrocardiogram during rest and exercise, 24-hour electrocardiography registration, and left and right ventricular function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No children had abnormalities when histories were taken or during physical examination that were attributable to cardiac dysfunction. Six children (6%) had cardiac abnormalities: polymorphic premature ventricular contractions during exercise and 24-hour electrocardiography registration (2 patients), decreased left ventricular function (2 patients), decreased left ventricular function and polymorphic premature ventricular contractions (1 patient), and decreased right ventricular function (1 patient).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this small and diverse group of pediatric septic shock survivors, we found an excellent recovery of cardiac performance in most patients. In a limited number of patients, we found rhythm disturbances and decreased ventricular function. We believe that, against the background of aging, long-term cardiac follow-up of these patients is important.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Emma Children's Hospital, Academic Medical Centre, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands. h.knoester@amc.uva.nl
authors.forename: Hendrika
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Knoester
authors.forename: Jeanine J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sol
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ramsodit
authors.forename: Irene M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Kuipers
authors.forename: Sally-Ann B
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Clur
authors.forename: Albert P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Bos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004452:Echocardiography; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*; D016278:Ventricular Function, Right / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult