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Cardiorenal syndrome in children with heart failure

Jack F Price1, Stuart L Goldstein

  • 1Department of Pediatrics (Cardiology), Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA. jprice@bcm.tmc.edu

Current Heart Failure Reports
|September 3, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) involves heart and kidney dysfunction, often seen with heart failure and worsening kidney function. This review focuses on the incidence, physiology, and management of CRS in children with heart failure and acute kidney injury.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Nephrology
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) is characterized by concurrent cardiac and renal dysfunction.
  • It frequently presents as heart failure with progressive renal impairment, particularly in acute care settings.
  • A universally agreed-upon definition and understanding of CRS pathophysiology remain challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current data on the incidence, physiology, and management of cardiorenal syndrome in pediatric patients.
  • To address the complexities of treating heart failure in children with acute kidney injury.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent data on pediatric cardiorenal syndrome.
  • Analysis of studies characterizing incidence, underlying physiology, and treatment strategies.
  • Synthesis of information regarding heart failure and acute kidney injury in children.

Main Results:

  • Cardiorenal syndrome is a significant predictor of morbidity and mortality in both hospitalized and ambulatory patients.
  • Recent classifications categorize CRS into subtypes based on the primary organ affected and injury chronicity.
  • The complex interplay between cardiac and renal systems in CRS is not fully elucidated.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding the physiology of CRS is crucial for effective clinical management.
  • This review highlights the need for further research into the specific challenges of CRS in pediatric populations.
  • Improved diagnostic criteria and therapeutic approaches are needed for children experiencing cardiorenal dysfunction.

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