Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 13, 2026
Integration of Brain Tissue Saturation Monitoring in Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in Patients with Heart Failure
Published on: October 1, 2019
Effect of Carvedilol on Serum Heart-type Fatty Acid-binding Protein, Brain Natriuretic Peptide, and Cardiac Function
Yu-Ping Sun1, Chao-Ping Wei, Shao-Chun Ma
1Women and Children's Hospital of Qingdao City, Qingdao, China.
Insights
Serum heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (h-FABP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) indicate chronic heart failure (CHF) severity in children. Carvedilol treatment effectively improves cardiac function in pediatric CHF patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Biomarkers in Heart Failure
- Pharmacological Interventions
Background:
- Chronic heart failure (CHF) in children presents diagnostic challenges.
- Identifying reliable biomarkers for CHF severity is crucial.
- Evaluating novel therapeutic approaches for pediatric CHF is needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess serum heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (h-FABP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels in children with CHF.
- To investigate the correlation of these biomarkers with heart failure severity.
- To evaluate the efficacy of carvedilol in improving cardiac function in pediatric CHF.
Main Methods:
- 36 children with CHF were randomized into carvedilol (Group A) or conventional treatment (Group B) groups.
- Serum h-FABP and BNP levels were measured using ELISA.
- Echocardiography assessed left ventricular dimensions, ejection fraction (LVEF), fractional shortening (LVFS), and cardiac index (CI).
Main Results:
- Children with CHF exhibited significantly higher serum h-FABP and BNP levels compared to controls.
- These biomarkers positively correlated with heart failure severity and negatively with LVEF, LVFS, and CI.
- Carvedilol treatment led to lower h-FABP and BNP levels and greater improvements in cardiac function parameters compared to conventional treatment.
Conclusions:
- Serum h-FABP and BNP are valuable biomarkers for assessing CHF severity in children.
- Carvedilol demonstrates significant efficacy in improving cardiac function and reducing biomarkers in pediatric CHF.
- Carvedilol offers a safe and effective treatment option for children with chronic heart failure.
Objective:
To observe the changes of serum heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (h-FABP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in children with chronic heart failure (CHF) and evaluate the effects of carvedilol.
Methods:
A total of 36 patients with CHF, including 17 of endocardial fibroelastosis and 19 of dilated cardiomyopathy, were enrolled and were randomly divided into a carvedilol treatment group (group A) and a conventional treatment group (group B). Group A (n = 16) was treated with carvedilol and conventional treatment and group B (n = 20) was managed with conventional treatment only. Thirty healthy children were enrolled as controls. The concentrations of serum h-FABP and BNP were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the left ventricular end-systolic diameter, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS), and cardiac index (CI) were measured by echocardiography.
Results:
The concentrations of serum h-FABP and BNP in patients with CHF were significantly higher than in the control group (21.7 ± 4.3 ng/mL vs. 6.3 ± 1.7 ng/mL, 582.4 ± 180.6 pg/mL vs.31.2 ± 9.8 pg/mL, all P < 0.01), positively correlated with the degree of heart failure (all P < 0.01), and were both higher in groups endocardial fibroelastosis and dilated cardiomyopathy than in the control group (all P < 0.01), but there was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups (P > 0.05). h-FABP concentration in patients with CHF was positively correlated with BNP (r = 0.78, P < 0.01) but negatively correlated with LVEF, LVFS, and CI (r = -0.65, -0.64, and -0.71, respectively; all P < 0.01). BNP concentration was also negatively correlated with LVEF, LVFS, and CI (r = -0.75, -0.61, and -0.79, respectively; all P<0.01). After treatment with carvedilol, the serum concentrations of h-FABP and BNP in group A were lower than in group B, and the magnitude of heart rate reduction, improvement of LVEF, LVFS, and CI, and reduction of left ventricular end-systolic diameter and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter in group A were all greater than in group B (all P < 0.01). Treatment with carvedilol had no adverse events.
Conclusions:
Serum concentrations of h-FABP and BNP can be used as biomarkers to evaluate the severity of heart failure, and carvedilol can significantly improve heart function in children with CHF.
More Related Videos
12:45Benefits of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in an Asynchronous Heart Failure Model Induced by Left Bundle Branch Ablation and Rapid Pacing
Published on: December 11, 2017
10:05Testing the Efficacy of Pharmacological Agents in a Pericardial Target Delivery Model in the Swine
Published on: July 7, 2016
Related Concept Videos
01:22Heart Failure Drugs: β-Blockers
01:26Heart Failure Drugs: Inhibitors of Renin-Angiotensin System
01:19Blood Studies for Cardiovascular System II: CRP, Hcy, and Cardiac Natriuretic Peptide Markers
These markers indicate stress or strain on the heart muscle:
Natriuretic Peptides (BNP)
Cardiac myocytes produce these hormones in response to ventricular stretching...
01:30Heart Failure V: Medical Management
01:31Adrenergic Antagonists: ɑ and β-Receptor Blockers
01:29Heart Failure II: Pathophysiology