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Does oxybutynin hydrochloride cause arrhythmia in children with bladder dysfunction?

Ilihan Ciftci1, Derya Arslan, Harun Peru

  • 1Department of Pediatric Surgery, University of Selcuk, Selcuklu Medical Faculty, Konya, Turkey. driciftci@yahoo.com

Medical Archives (Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
|July 16, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Oxybutynin, a common treatment for pediatric overactive bladder, may increase the risk of cardiac arrhythmia in children. Close cardiac monitoring is recommended for pediatric patients using this medication.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Pediatric Nephrology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Pediatric surgeons often treat children with voiding dysfunction, including urgency, frequency, and incontinence.
  • Antimuscarinic agents like oxybutynin are primary treatments for overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome in children.
  • Increased QT dispersion is a known risk factor for ventricular arrhythmia, potentially leading to increased mortality and morbidity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of oxybutynin on QT interval in pediatric patients.
  • To assess the potential link between oxybutynin use and cardiac arrhythmia in children.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective analysis of a subset of pediatric patients admitted to Pediatric Surgery and Pediatric Nephrology Clinics.
  • Data collected from January 2011 to July 2012.

Main Results:

  • Oxybutynin use was associated with significant changes in QT interval in pediatric patients.
  • These QT interval changes correlated with an increased incidence of cardiac arrhythmia in children.

Conclusions:

  • Oxybutynin may pose a risk of cardiac arrhythmia in pediatric patients.
  • Children using oxybutynin require close cardiac monitoring to detect and manage potential arrhythmias.
Abstract

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