Prevalence of Anemia in Children with Congestive Heart Failure due to Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Abstract

Introduction. Anemia is prevalent in adult heart failure patients and appears to be an independent risk factor for morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this work is to determine the prevalence of anemia in children with heart failure from dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and to evaluate its influence on morbidity and mortality. Methods. A homogenous group of 58 children with congestive heart failure from DCM was evaluated for heart failure symptoms, appearance of anemia, hospitalization, age of first clinical appearance, necessity of transfusion, and death during medical attendance. Anemic and nonanemic patients were analyzed for differences in age distribution, morbidity, and mortality. Results. Anemia was present in 64% of DCM patients. Hospitalization secondary to heart failure was significantly elevated in heart failure patients with anemia (mean 35.1 ± 40.5 versus 9.97 ± 9.65 days per year, P < 0.05). However, mortality was not elevated. Significant relations of age and prevalence of anemia or age and severity of anemia did not appear. Conclusion. Anemia is prevalent in pediatric patients with congestive heart failure from DCM and appears in all age classes. Hospitalization as a surrogate of morbidity is elevated in heart failure patients developing anemia, but mortality risk did not increase.

Prevalence and Severity of Anemia in Children Hospitalized with Acute Heart Failure

“…In another smaller study of children with mostly chronic HF, 64% of patients were anemic at enrollment, and a low Hgb concentration was associated with hospitalization but not with mortality. 14 The etiology, prevalence, and severity of anemia have not been reported in children hospitalized with advanced HF. The influence of anemia on clinical outcome in hospitalized pediatric HF patients remains poorly understood.…”

“…The prevalence of clinically significant HF was not reported in this cohort, but 20% of patients had low cardiac output at the time of diagnosis. In another smaller study of children with mostly chronic HF, 64% of patients were anemic at enrollment, and a low Hgb concentration was associated with hospitalization but not with mortality …”

Correlation between Serum Level of Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 with Left Ventricular End-diastolic Volume in Children with Heart Failure

“…Heart failure is a public health problem that causes high morbidity and mortality in the world [1]. The incidence of heart failure due to cardiac structural abnormalities such as congenital heart disease is around 1-2 in 1000 live births, with the highest incidence occurring in the 1 st year of life [2], [3], [4].…”

Profound Iron Deficiency Anemia and Irreversible Dilated Cardiomyopathy in a Child

“…Anemia is highly prevalent in heart failure (HF) and is associated with increased morbidity in adults and children [1–3]. Iron deficiency anemia, in particular, has been implicated in the development of a secondary cardiomyopathy [4, 5] though a definitive pathogenesis has not been identified.…”