Nesiritide in a pediatric oncology patient with renal insufficiency and myocardial dysfunction following septic shock

Nesiritide is a recombinant formulation of B-type natriuretic peptide used most commonly in the treatment of adults with decompensated congestive heart failure. The physiologic effects of BNP include natriuresis, diuresis, and smooth muscle relaxation. These physiologic effects result in its beneficial therapeutic effects, including a decrease in afterload, resulting in increased cardiac output with improved peripheral perfusion. The authors report on a 17-year-old with acute myelogenous leukemia who was admitted to the Pediatric ICU for treatment of septic shock, respiratory failure, myocardial dysfunction, and renal insufficiency. After the initial stabilization of his hemodynamic status, nesiritide was started and resulted in a stable balance of fluid intake versus output without the use of diuretics, improvement in myocardial function, and recovery of renal function manifested by a decrease of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine back to baseline values. The end-organ effects of nesiritide, previous reports regarding its use in the pediatric population, and its potential applications in the ICU setting are discussed.