Triiodothyronine Supplementation for Children Undergoing Cardiopulmonary Bypass: A Meta-Analysis.

Specific pediatric populations have exhibited disparate responses to triiodothyronine (T3) repletion during and after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Objective: To determine if T3 supplementation improves outcomes in children undergoing CPB. We searched randomized controlled trials (RCT) evaluating T3 supplementation in children aged 0-3 years undergoing CPB between 1/1/2000 and 1/31/2022. We calculated Hazard ratios (HR) for time to extubation (TTE), ICU length of stay (LOS), and hospital LOS. 5 RCTs met inclusion criteria with available patient-level data. Two were performed in United States (US) and 3 in Indonesia with 767 total subjects (range 29- 220). Median (IQR) age 4.1 (1.6, 8.0) months; female 43%; RACHS-1 scores: 1-1%; 2-55%; 3-27%; 4-13%; 5-0.1%; 6-3.9%; 54% of subjects in US vs 46% in Indonesia. Baseline TSH and T3 were lower in Indonesia (p < 0.001). No significant difference occurred in TTE between treatment groups overall [HR 1.09 (CI, 0.94-1.26)]. TTE numerically favored T3-treated patients aged 1-5 months [HR 1.24 (CI, 0.97-1.60)]. TTE HR for the Indonesian T3 group was 1.31 (CI, 1.04-1.65) vs. 0.95 (CI, 0.78-1.15) in US. The ICU LOS HR for the Indonesian T3 group was 1.19 vs. 0.89 in US (p = 0.046). There was a significant T3 effect on hospital LOS [HR 1.30 (CI, 1.01-1.67)] in Indonesia but not in US [HR 0.99 (CI, 0.78-1.23)]. T3 supplementation in children undergoing CPB is simple, inexpensive, and safe, showing benefit in resource-limited settings. Differences in effects between settings likely relate to depression in baseline thyroid function often associated with malnutrition.

Characteristics and outcomes of patients with severe COVID-19 in Indonesia: Lessons from the first wave.

BACKGROUND: Indonesia's national response to COVID-19 evolved rapidly throughout 2020. Understanding pandemic response and outcomes is crucial for better mitigation strategies ahead. This study describes the characteristics and outcomes of patients admitted to ICU during the early stages of the pandemic. METHODS: This is a multi-centre prospective observational study including patients from twelve collaborating hospitals in Indonesia. All patients were clinically suspected or laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases admitted to ICU between January 2020 and March 2021. The primary outcome was monthly ICU mortality. Descriptive statistics of patient characteristics and treatment were generated as secondary outcomes. RESULTS: From 559 subjects, the overall mortality was 68% and decreased over the study period, while the mortality of patients that received mechanical ventilation was 92%, consistently high over the study period. Fatal cases showed 2- and 4-day delays from symptoms onset to hospital admissions and ICU admissions, respectively. Evidence-backed approaches which could influence patient outcome, such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, prone positioning, renal replacement therapy, and neuromuscular blockade were scarcely administered. CONCLUSIONS: The mortality rate of COVID-19 patients in Indonesia was extremely high during the first major outbreak of disease, particularly in those mechanically ventilated. Delayed admission and unavailability of evidence-based approaches due to high burden on health facility during COVID-19 crisis could be addressed by efficient public health measures and enhancing health infrastructure to improve the future pandemic response.

Advocacy at the Eighth World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery.

The Eighth World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery (WCPCCS) will be held in Washington DC, USA, from Saturday, 26 August, 2023 to Friday, 1 September, 2023, inclusive. The Eighth World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery will be the largest and most comprehensive scientific meeting dedicated to paediatric and congenital cardiac care ever held. At the time of the writing of this manuscript, The Eighth World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery has 5,037 registered attendees (and rising) from 117 countries, a truly diverse and international faculty of over 925 individuals from 89 countries, over 2,000 individual abstracts and poster presenters from 101 countries, and a Best Abstract Competition featuring 153 oral abstracts from 34 countries. For information about the Eighth World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, please visit the following website: [www.WCPCCS2023.org]. The purpose of this manuscript is to review the activities related to global health and advocacy that will occur at the Eighth World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery.Acknowledging the need for urgent change, we wanted to take the opportunity to bring a common voice to the global community and issue the Washington DC WCPCCS Call to Action on Addressing the Global Burden of Pediatric and Congenital Heart Diseases. A copy of this Washington DC WCPCCS Call to Action is provided in the Appendix of this manuscript. This Washington DC WCPCCS Call to Action is an initiative aimed at increasing awareness of the global burden, promoting the development of sustainable care systems, and improving access to high quality and equitable healthcare for children with heart disease as well as adults with congenital heart disease worldwide.

ECMO simulation training during a worldwide pandemic: The role of ECMO telesimulation.

BACKGROUND: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a supportive therapy used in the most severe forms of acute respiratory distress syndrome. Due to its intrinsic complexity and relatively low annual volume, simulation is essential for efficient and appropriate ECMO management. COVID-19 has limited the opportunities for high-fidelity in-person simulation training when many hospitals are looking to expand their ECMO services to battle the ongoing pandemic. To meet this demand, the National Cardiovascular Center Harapan Kita, Jakarta, Indonesia, conducted a 3-day ECMO course entailing online didactic lectures (adult and paediatric stream), water drills and telesimulation. PURPOSE: The purpose of the study is to report the evaluation result of this novel model of education during COVID-19 outbreak. DATA COLLECTION: Participants were given an ECMO knowledge pre-course and post-course test and a telesimulation evaluation survey at the conclusion and these data were collected. RESULTS: The course was attended by 104 physicians, critical care nurses and perfusionists. Pre-course and post-course assessments showed a significant improvement in ECMO knowledge (60.0% vs 73.3%, respectively). Overall, the participants rated the telesimulation positively, and most found it acceptable to in-person simulation training considering the pandemic restrictions. CONCLUSION: Despite the complexities of ECMO, our recent experience demonstrates ECMO education and simulation delivered online is feasible, welcomed and supportive of a change in ECMO training course format. As we incorporate more innovative digital technologies, telesimulation may further enhance the quality of future ECMO training.

Thiamine levels in Indonesian children with congenital heart diseases undergoing surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass machine.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated thiamine levels in Indonesian children with congenital heart diseases before and after cardiopulmonary bypass and their relationship with clinical and surgical outcomes. METHOD: A prospective, single center cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate thiamine levels in 25 children undergoing congenital heart diseases surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass procedure. Thiamine levels were quantified using a high-performance liquid chromatography method. RESULT: Preoperative thiamine deficiency was observed in one subject. Thiamine levels did not differ statistically between nutritional status and clinical outcomes categories. There were no significant changes in thiamine levels before and after cardiopulmonary bypass (median pre versus post (P25-75): 50 ng/mL (59.00-116.00) and 83.00 ng/mL (70.00-101.00), p = 0.84), although a significant reduction in thiamine levels were observed with longer cardiopulmonary bypass duration (p = 0.017, R = -0.472). CONCLUSION: Thiamine levels were not significantly impacted by cardiac surgery except in patients undergoing extremely long cardiopulmonary bypass duration. However, clinical outcome was not affected by thiamine levels.

The effect of oral triiodothyronine supplementation on lactate and pyruvate after paediatric cardiac surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if triiodothyronine alters lactate, glucose, and pyruvate metabolism, and if serum pyruvate concentration could serve as a predictor of low cardiac output syndrome in children after cardiopulmonary bypass procedures. METHODS: This study was ancillary to the Oral Triiodothyronine for Infants and Children undergoing Cardiopulmonary bypass (OTICC) trial. Serum pyruvate was measured in the first 48 patients and lactate and glucose were measured in all 208 patients enrolled in the OTICC study on the induction of anaesthesia, 1 and 24 hours post-aortic cross-clamp removal. Patients were also defined as having low cardiac output syndrome according to the OTICC trial protocol. RESULT: Amongst the designated patient population for pyruvate analysis, 22 received placebo, and 26 received triiodothyronine (T3). Lactate concentrations were nearly 20 times greater than pyruvate. Lactate and pyruvate levels were not significantly different between T3 and placebo group. Glucose levels were significantly higher in the placebo group mainly at 24-hour post-cross-clamp removal. Additionally, lactate and glucose levels peaked at 1-hour post-cross-clamp removal in low cardiac output syndrome and non-low cardiac output syndrome patients, but subsequently decreased at a slower rate in low cardiac output syndrome. Lactate and pyruvate concentrations correlated with glucose only prior to surgery. CONCLUSION: Thyroid supplementation does not alter systemic lactate/pyruvate metabolism after cardiopulmonary bypass and reperfusion. Pyruvate levels are not useful for predicting low cardiac output syndrome. Increased blood glucose may be regarded as a response to hypermetabolic stress, seen mostly in patients with low cardiac output syndrome.

Oral Triiodothyronine Supplementation Decreases Low Cardiac Output Syndrome After Pediatric Cardiac Surgery.

The oral triiodothyronine for infants and children undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (OTICC) trial showed that Triiodothyronine (T3) supplementation improved hemodynamic and clinical outcome parameters. We tested the validity of low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS), derived using clinical parameters and laboratory data, by comparing the LCOS diagnosis with objective parameters commonly measured in a cardiac intensive care unit (CCU) setting. OTICC, a randomized, placebo-controlled trial included children younger than 3 years with an Aristotle score between 6 and 9. We used the existing trial data set to compare the LCOS diagnosis with echocardiographic hemodynamic parameters. Additionally, we determined if LCOS, prospectively assigned during a clinical trial, served as an early predictor of clinical outcomes. All LCOS subjects at 6 and 12 h after cross-clamp release later showed significantly lower pulse pressure, stroke volume and cardiac output, and higher systemic vascular resistance. These LCOS patients also had significantly longer time to extubation (TTE) and higher mortality rate. LCOS incidence was significantly lower in the T3 treatment group [n = 86 vs. 66, respectively, p < 0.001; OR (95% CI) 0.43 (0.36-0.52)] particularly at 6 h. Also, LCOS patients in the placebo group had significantly lower FT3 serum levels over time. These analyses confirm that early clinically defined LCOS successfully predicts cardiac dysfunction determined later by objective hemodynamic echocardiographic parameters. Furthermore, early LCOS significantly impacts TTE and mortality. Finally, the data support prior clinical trial data, showing that oral T3 supplementation decreases early LCOS in concordance with reducing TTE.

Did Malnutrition Affect Post-Operative Somatic Growth in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Surgical Procedures for Congenital Heart Disease?

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to investigate the impact of pre-operative malnutrition on nutritional outcome following congenital heart defects surgery. DESIGN: This is a prospective cohort study. SETTING: Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care, Harapan Kita National Cardiovascular Center, Jakarta, Indonesia. PATIENT: Pediatric patients, aged younger than 36 months old with Aristotle score of 6-10, undergoing congenital heart defects surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass were included in this study. MEASUREMENT: The measured outcome was nutritional outcome based on body weight changes before and after corrective surgery. The measured variables were age, gender, Aristotle score, caloric intake (in pediatric cardiac intensive care unit and pediatric ward), length of stay, albumin level, and prealbumin level. RESULTS: Among 185 patients, 6% increase of body weight was observed within 12 days of observation (p = 0.007). From bivariate analysis, post-operative nutritional status improvement was significantly associated with pre-operative Z-score for weight-for-age (p = 0.011), caloric intake in pediatric ward (p < 0.0001), and prealbumin level (p = 0.038). From multivariate analysis, caloric intake in pediatric ward remained as a factor which significantly determined post-operative nutritional status (p = 0.001, OR = 1.33, 95% CI 1.014-1.053). CONCLUSION: Malnourished patients may have significant improvement in somatic growth following corrective surgery but no effect was observed on the post-operative body weight gain. Adequate nutritional support is important to ensure optimal recovery and better nutritional outcome.

Oral Triiodothyronine for Infants and Children Undergoing Cardiopulmonary Bypass.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of oral triiodothyronine (T3; Tetronine, Dalim BioTech, Korea) for infants and children undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass in an Indonesian population. METHODS: We performed a single-center, randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial in children aged 3 years and younger undergoing congenital heart disease operations with cardiopulmonary bypass. We administered oral T3 (1 µg/kg per body weight/dose) or placebo (saccharum lactis) by nasogastric tube every 6 hours for 60 hours after induction of anesthesia. The primary end point, time to extubation, was compared with Cox regression. RESULTS: The modified intention-to-treat group included 101 placebo and 104 treated patients. The stratified log-rank test did not show a significant treatment difference (p = 0.061) for time to extubation, but after adjustment for age, the nutritional Z score, and Aristotle surgical complexity, the hazard ratio was 1.33 (95% confidence interval, 1.00 to 1.76; p = 0.049). The effect of T3 was stronger in the strata aged 5 months and younger (hazard ratio, 1.86; 95% confidence interval 1.02 to 3.39; p = 0.043). Median intubation time was 47.3 hours for the placebo and 32.1 hours for the T3 group in aged 5 months and younger. Adverse events rates, including arrhythmia, were similar between groups, although sepsis was more frequent with placebo. CONCLUSIONS: Oral T3 supplementation may shorten time to extubation in children undergoing congenital heart disease operations, particularly infants aged 5 months or younger. Administration is relatively safe, simple and inexpensive.

Oral triiodothyronine normalizes triiodothyronine levels after surgery for pediatric congenital heart disease*.

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to determine if oral triiodothyronine supplementation could prevent the decrease of serum triiodothyronine levels that commonly occurs after cardiopulmonary bypass for pediatric congenital heart surgery. Secondary objectives included identifying any significant adverse effects of oral triiodothyronine supplementation, including any effects on the thyroid/pituitary axis. DESIGN: Randomized, placebo-controlled, doubleblind clinical trial SETTING: Operating room and ICU. SUBJECTS: Infants and children younger than 2 years of age undergoing congenital heart surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass (n = 43). INTERVENTIONS: Subjects were assigned to placebo (n = 15, group A) or one of two treatment groups: a low-dose group (group B, n = 14, 0.5 mcg/kg triiodothyronine orally every 24 hr for 3 d) or a high-dose group (group C, n = 14, 0.5 mcg/kg triiodothyronine orally every 12 hr for 3 d). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Thyroid hormone, including total and free triiodothyronine levels at predetermined time points, potential side effects indicating hyperthyroidism, indicators of the thyroid-pituitary axis, and clinical endpoints. Oral triiodothyronine supplementation twice-daily maintained serum triiodothyronine levels within normal limits in group C, whereas serum levels progressively declined in groups A and B. A statistically significant difference in triiodothyronine levels between the treatment groups occurred between 18 and 36 hours post cross-clamp release, with the largest difference in serum levels between group C and group A noted at 36 hours post cross-clamp release (total triiodothyronine, 0.71 ± 0.15 [0.34-1.08] ng/mL [p < 0.01]; free triiodothyronine, 2.56 ± 0.49 [1.33-3.79] pg/mL [p < 0.01]). There was no evidence of hyperthyroidism or suppression of the pituitary-thyroid axis in either treatment group CONCLUSIONS: Oral triiodothyronine supplementation at a dose of 0.5 mcg/kg every 12 hours for 3 days can maintain total and free triiodothyronine levels within normal limits after open-heart surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass for congenital heart disease.

Hyperglycemia after pediatric cardiac surgery: impact of age and residual lesions.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the effect of patient age and significant residual cardiac lesions on the association between hyperglycemia and adverse outcomes in children after cardiac surgery. The incidence, severity, and duration of hyperglycemia in this patient population and perioperative factors predisposing to hyperglycemia were also delineated. DESIGN: Retrospective, observational cohort study. SETTING: Eighteen-bed pediatric cardiac critical care unit. PATIENTS: Seven hundred seventy-two children undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass during 2006 and 2007. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Postoperative glucose levels were reviewed in all children who underwent cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass at our institution during 2006 and 2007 who met all inclusion criteria and none of the exclusion criteria (n = 772). The composite morbidity-mortality outcome included hospital death, cardiac arrest, renal/hepatic failure, lactic acidosis, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation use, or infection. Hyperglycemia occurred in 90% of patients and resolved within 72 hrs in most without exogenous insulin. Preoperative factors, including prostaglandins, mechanical ventilation, and cyanosis, were significantly associated with increased odds of significant hyperglycemia (>180 mg/dL for >12 hrs or any level >270 mg/dL) as were increased surgical complexity and perioperative steroid administration. Thirty-one percent of the entire cohort reached the composite outcome and the odds were significantly increased after 54 hrs of mild (elevated, but <180 mg/dL), 12 hrs of moderate (180-270 mg/dL), or any period of severe hyperglycemia (>270 mg/dL). Neonates (<1 month of age) tolerated longer periods of hyperglycemia before showing increased odds of reaching the composite morbidity-mortality end point. In the setting of important residual cardiac lesions, mild or moderate hyperglycemia was not as strongly associated with adverse outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Age and residual cardiac lesions are important modifiers of the association between hyperglycemia and suboptimal outcomes after pediatric cardiac surgery. Use of insulin therapy for glucose control in this patient population may need to be carefully targeted toward high-risk subsets of patients.