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[Cardiac hypertrophy associated with subaortic obstruction induced by adrenocorticotropic hormone treatment]
1Departamento de Cardiología, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona.
Insights
Adrenocorticotropic hormone treatment in a child with West syndrome caused cardiac hypertrophy and subaortic obstruction. This cardiac involvement was reversible upon drug cessation, highlighting the importance of echocardiography-Doppler monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Cardiology
- Neurology
Background:
- West syndrome is a severe form of epilepsy in infants.
- Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) is a treatment for West syndrome.
- ACTH can induce Cushing syndrome and cardiovascular effects like hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy.
Observation:
- A 7-month-old infant with West syndrome developed cardiac hypertrophy with subaortic obstruction during ACTH treatment.
- The cardiac changes were attributed to the high-dose ACTH therapy.
Findings:
- Echocardiography-Doppler is crucial for diagnosing and monitoring cardiac hypertrophy with subaortic obstruction.
- The study demonstrated the reversibility of ACTH-induced cardiac hypertrophy and subaortic obstruction after drug withdrawal.
Implications:
- Clinicians should be vigilant for cardiac side effects in infants treated with ACTH.
- Echocardiography-Doppler monitoring is essential for early detection and management of these cardiac complications.
- Reversibility of cardiac involvement emphasizes the importance of timely intervention and drug adjustment.
Abstract:
A 7 months-old child affected of West syndrome presented a cardiac hypertrophy with subaortic obstruction induced by adrenocorticotropic hormone treatment. The administration of this hormone may induce a Cushing syndrome; at high doses has chronotropic and inotropic positive effects and may produce arterial hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy. We pointed out the importance of the echocardiography-Doppler in the diagnosis and follow-up of the cardiac hypertrophy with subaortic obstruction as well as the reversibility of the cardiac involvement when the drug is suppressed.