Cardiac Endocrine Function and Hormonal Interplay in Pediatrics: From Development to Clinical Implications

Valeria Calcaterra1,2, Savina Mannarino3, Filippo Puricelli3

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy.

Biomedicines
|September 27, 2025
PubMed

Insights

The endocrine system and the heart are closely linked throughout life, especially in children. Understanding hormone-heart interactions is key to preventing pediatric heart disease.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Cardiovascular Biology
  • Pediatric Cardiology

Background:

  • The endocrine system is crucial for heart development and function.
  • The heart itself acts as an endocrine organ, producing hormones that regulate cardiovascular processes.
  • Hormonal signaling is vital for maintaining homeostasis and proper heart development, particularly in fetal and pediatric stages.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the endocrine mechanisms governing cardiac development and function in fetal and pediatric life.
  • To highlight the heart's intrinsic endocrine activity and its interaction with hormonal signals.
  • To underscore the clinical relevance of endocrine-cardiovascular interactions in pediatric heart disorders.

Main Methods:

  • This is a narrative review.
  • Literature search on endocrine mechanisms in cardiac development and function.
  • Focus on fetal and pediatric life, and the heart's endocrine role.

Main Results:

  • Hormonal signals are essential for physiological homeostasis and heart development.
  • Disruptions in hormonal signaling can precede structural or functional heart disease.
  • Endocrine imbalances impact the onset, progression, and prognosis of pediatric cardiac disorders.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding age-specific hormone-heart interactions is clinically relevant for pediatric cardiology.
  • Early identification of hormonal dysregulation can prevent adverse cardiovascular outcomes.
  • Recognizing these patterns can lead to targeted diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for pediatric heart conditions.

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