Uric acid elevation in pediatric patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and prediction of mortality.

Background and aims: Pediatric dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a primary cause of heart failure, highlighting the urgent need for effective prognostic markers. Methods: We performed a single-center retrospective study involving 145 children diagnosed with DCM, with a median follow-up period of 4.0 months (interquartile range: 6.2-108.4 months). The relationship between serum uric acid (SUA) levels and all-cause mortality was assessed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves, multivariate Cox proportional hazard models, and restricted cubic spline (RCS) models. Results: Of the 145 children with DCM (median age 5.7 years; 61.4% male), 45 (31%) died within 1 year, and 65 (44.8%) died during the maximum follow-up period. In adjusted multivariate Cox regression models, each log2 SUA increase was linked to a higher risk of 1-year mortality [hazard ratio (HR), 2.66; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.41-5.01] and overall mortality (HR, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.15-3.37). The highest SUA tertile showed a greater risk of mortality at 1 year (HR, 4.26; 95% CI: 1.5-12.06) and during the maximum follow-up (HR, 2.56; 95% CI: 1.06-6.16) compared with the lowest tertile. RCS models indicated an inverted L-shaped association between baseline SUA levels and overall mortality risk, with age-stratified analyses revealing a linear and U-shaped relationship in children ≤10 and >10 years, respectively. Further age-stratified analyses highlighted the modifying effect of age on this association. Conclusion: Elevated SUA levels are a significant predictor of mortality in pediatric DCM, with a pronounced impact on children under 10 years of age. Therefore, SUA levels could serve as potential biomarkers for risk stratification in this population.

Relationship between Baseline Serum Potassium and 1-Year Readmission in Pediatric Patients with Heart Failure: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Pediatric heart failure (HF) is associated with high readmission rates, but the optimal serum potassium range for this population remains unclear. In this single-center retrospective cohort study, 180 pediatric patients hospitalized for HF between January 2016 and January 2022 were stratified into low-potassium (<3.7 mmol/L), middle-potassium (3.7-4.7 mmol/L), and high-potassium (≥4.7 mmol/L) groups based on the distribution of potassium levels in the study population. The primary outcome was readmission for HF within 1 year of discharge. Cox regression and restricted cubic spline models were used to assess the association between potassium levels and 1-year HF readmission rates. Notably, 38.9% of patients underwent 1 or more 1-year readmissions for HF within 1 year. The high-potassium group had a significantly higher readmission frequency than the middle-potassium group. In multivariate Cox regression models, potassium levels of ≥4.7 mmol/L were independently associated with increased 1-year readmission risk. A J-shaped relationship was observed between baseline potassium levels and 1-year readmission risk, with the lowest risk at 4.1 mmol/L. In pediatric patients with HF, a serum potassium level ≥ 4.7 mmol/L was independently associated with increased 1-year readmission risk. Maintaining potassium levels within a narrow range may improve outcomes in this population.

Combination of trimetazidine and coenzyme Q10 for the treatment of acute viral myocarditis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is considered to be beneficial for patients with acute viral myocarditis (AVM). In addition, trimetazidine may be also beneficial to patients with AVM by promoting cardiac energy metabolism. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the efficacy and safety of combining trimetazidine and CoQ10 with respect to CoQ10 alone in patients suffering from AVM. METHODOLOGY: PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Wanfang, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases were searched for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). An analysis of random effects was employed to combine the results. RESULTS: Sixteen RCTs that included 1,364 patients with AVM contributed to the meta-analysis. Overall, 687 patients received the combined treatment, while 677 received the CoQ10 alone for a duration of 2-12 weeks (mean: 5.2 weeks). In contrast to monotherapy with CoQ10, combined treatment with trimetazidine and CoQ10 significantly improved overall therapy effectiveness (risk ratio [RR]: 1.19, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.13 to 1.24, p < 0.001; I2 = 0%). Differences in study parameters such as the incidence of heart failure upon admission, dosage of CoQ10, or length of treatment did not significantly alter the outcomes (p for all subgroup analyses > 0.05). The combined treatment was associated with improved myocardial enzyme levels and recovery of cardiac systolic function as compared to CoQ10 alone (p all < 0.05). In addition, trimetazidine combined with CoQ10 caused no greater increase in adverse events than CoQ10 alone. CONCLUSIONS: Trimetazidine combined with CoQ10 is an effective and safe treatment for AVM.

A Nomogram Prediction Model for Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn in Neonates Hospitalized for the First Time After Birth.

OBJECTIVE: Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) is one of the critical neonatal diseases associated with high morbidity and mortality. This study attempted to conduct a nomogram prediction model for performing early identification of PPHN and providing effective information for clinical practice. METHODS: A total of 456 newborns who first admitted to the hospital after birth were included in the analysis, including 138 newborns with PPHN and 318 newborns without PPHN (as controls). The optimal predictive variables selection was performed based on LASSO (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator) regression and multivariate logistic regression. Using the selected variables, a nomogram prediction model was developed. To validate the model, the model was assessed using the receiver operating characteristic curve, calibration plot, and clinical impact curve. RESULTS: Six predictors, namely, gestational age, neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, the levels of hemoglobin and creatine kinase-MB, gestational thyroid dysfunction, and Pao2, were identified by LASSO and multivariate logistic regression analysis from the original 30 variables studied. The constructed model, using these predictors, exhibited favorable predictive ability for PPHN, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic of 0.897 (sensitivity = 0.876, specificity = 0.785) in the training set and 0.871 (sensitivity = 0.902, specificity = 0.695) in the validation set, and was well calibrated, as indicated by the PHosmer-Lemeshow test values of 0.233 and 0.876 for the training and validation sets, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The model included gestational age, neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, the levels of hemoglobin and creatine kinase-MB, gestational thyroid dysfunction, and Pao2 had good prediction performance for predicting PPHN among newborns first admitted to the hospital after birth.