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Published in: Pediatric Cardiology 5/2015

01-06-2015 | Original Article

Experience with Levosimendan in 32 Paediatric Patients

Authors: Clara Vilaboa Pedrosa, Cristina Martínez Roca, Pedro Yáñez Gómez, María Isabel Martín Herranz

Published in: Pediatric Cardiology | Issue 5/2015

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to describe the off-label conditions of use for levosimendan in the paediatric population of a tertiary referral hospital. This is a retrospective observational study conducted between January 2007 and January 2014. Inclusion criteria were as follows: 100 % of paediatric patients who received intravenous perfusions of levosimendan during the study period. The following data were gathered: age, sex, diagnosis, dose administered, duration and date of the perfusion, number of perfusions per patient, previous inotropic and concomitant treatment, side effects and survival. A total of 32 patients were included in the study (56 % male). The mean age at the moment of administration was 4 months (range 2 days–15 years). During the study period, a total of 70 infusions were recorded. Fifteen of the 32 patients (46.9 %) received repeat doses, with a mean interval between doses of 8 days (range 3–37 days). The doses used were between 0.05 and 0.2 mcg/kg/min. Loading doses were not used in any cases. At the moment of receiving the infusion, all of the patients were receiving conventional treatment without any response, including inotropic support in 88 % of the cases. The administration of levosimendan was only suspended in one case due to the appearance of severe hypotension. In the rest of the administrations, it was well tolerated, without registering any severe side effect during the infusion process. Levosimendan proved to be a safe, effective strategy in our paediatric population. The good tolerance observed may be related to the absence of an initial bolus or loading dose.
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Metadata
Title
Experience with Levosimendan in 32 Paediatric Patients
Authors
Clara Vilaboa Pedrosa
Cristina Martínez Roca
Pedro Yáñez Gómez
María Isabel Martín Herranz
Publication date
01-06-2015
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Pediatric Cardiology / Issue 5/2015
Print ISSN: 0172-0643
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1971
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00246-015-1117-5

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