title: [Efficacy and safety of sildenafil in the treatment of high altitude heart disease associated with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension in children: a preliminary evaluation].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of sildenafil in the treatment of high altitude heart disease associated with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty children (aged 2 months to 2 years) with high altitude heart disease associated with severe PAH, who were continuously transferred to the Intensive Care Unit between January 2011 and October 2013, were randomly assigned to observation and control groups. The control group was given conventional treatment, while the observation group received oral sildenafil [1 mg/(kg . d)] three times daily for 7-10 days in addition to the conventional treatment. Before and after treatment, hemodynamics, blood gas, routine blood parameters, and blood biochemical parameters were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After treatment, the observation group had a significantly higher decrease in mean pulmonary artery pressure and significantly higher increases in arterial partial pressure of oxygen, cardiac output, cardiac index, and oxygenation index compared with the control group (P<0.05). In the observation group, there were no significant changes in mean arterial pressure, routine blood parameters and blood biochemical parameters (P>0.05), and no obvious adverse reactions were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For children with high altitude heart disease associated with severe PAH, sildenafil can effectively reduce pulmonary artery pressure and improve cardiac function and does not cause adverse reactions. This therapy has good safety according to the preliminary evaluation.
authors.forename: Yan-Liang
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Wei-Xiao
authors.initials: WX
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000531:Altitude; D065627:Familial Primary Pulmonary Hypertension; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010879:Piperazines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011687:Purines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D013450:Sulfones / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D010879:Piperazines; D011687:Purines; D013450:Sulfones; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate