Beta-blocker carvedilol can help some children avoid need for a heart transplant

Transplant News, Jan 31, 2003

Treatment with the beta-blocker carvedilol may make it possible for some children with severe chronic heart failure to avoid the need for cardiac transplantation, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Sao Paulo Medical School in Brazil.

Carvedilol was added to standard therapy with digoxin, diuretics, and ACE inhibitors in 14 patients ages 3.2 months to 10 years with advanced heart failure. During followup, 4 of the patients died and 1 underwent heart transplantation. The remaining 9 patients showed significant improvement in mean left ventricular ejection fraction and in Modified New York Heart Association functional class, which enabled them to be removed from the heart transplant waiting list. All 9 patients were alive at 6 months.

Two of the eight patients in the placebo group died, and 2 received heart transplants. The remaining 4 patients remained in persistent heart failure. (Journal of the American College of Cardiology 2002;40:2034-2038.)