title: Efficacy of carvedilol in pediatric heart failure.
abstract: Evaluation of: Huang M, Zhang X, Chen S et al. The effect of carvedilol treatment on chronic heart failure in pediatric patients with dilated cardiomyopathy: a prospective, randomized-controlled study. Pediatr. Cardiol. 34, 680-685 (2013). A role for β-blockers in children with heart failure has not been established. Huang et al. conducted a randomized trial of oral carvedilol in children with dilated cardiomyopathy treated with conventional therapy for a minimum of 1 month. The primary end points were Ross score, echocardiographic parameters, brain natriuretic peptide levels and a composite clinical end point. Of the subjects assessed at 6 months, 41 had received carvedilol (up to 0.8 mg/kg/day) and 37 had not (control group). Carvedilol had favorable effects on Ross score, left ventricular function and brain natriuretic peptide levels. However, improvement was also seen in the control group, although this was not as pronounced. Composite end points were similar in the carvedilol-treated and control groups. Only one serious adverse event was observed. The results suggest a possible beneficial effect of carvedilol when added to conventional therapy, but a number of limitations of study design restrict the conclusions that can be drawn.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Cardiology Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, 405 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst, New South Wales 2010, Australia.
authors.forename: Alex Hørby
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fatkin
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002227:Carbazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011412:Propanolamines / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D002227:Carbazoles; D011412:Propanolamines