title: Bradycardia in the early postoperative period of liver transplantation in children.
abstract: The aim of this investigation was to describe the occurrence of bradycardia during the early postoperative period of liver transplantation in children. We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of 79 children with end-stage liver diseases who underwent liver transplantation. All children experienced >or=1 episode of a cardiac rate below the 2nd percentile of a 1-hour minimum duration, which was considered to be bradycardia. Patients <24 months were compared with older ones. The overall incidence of bradycardia was 37% (n = 31), including 25 patients who displayed bradycardia until postoperative day 3. In all cases, the electrocardiogram was normal, showing sinus rhythm. A comparison of the groups demonstrated an increased incidence of bradycardia among patients <24 months of age (P=.03). In all patients, there were no hemodynamic consequences; the cardiac rate returned to normal uneventfully. The explanations for bradycardia could not be applied to these patients because none of them had any volume change or electrolyte disturbances; liver function tests were not seriously altered. The mechanisms of this postoperative complications are unclear.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Tannuri
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Delgado
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001285:Atropine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001919:Bradycardia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000502:physiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D001285:Atropine