Accuracy of cuff-less, continuous, and non-invasive blood pressure measurement in 24-h ABPM in children aged 5-17.

Purpose: Ambulatory, cuff-less blood pressure (BP) measurement devices are a promising trend to alleviate the strains of conventional, cuff-based BP determination. Cuff-less devices circumvent discomfort and nocturnal arousal reactions which can be triggered by cuff inflation from conventional, cuff-based ambulatory blood pressure measurement devices. Mitigating these discomforts is especially desirable when performing measurement in children.

Frequency and individual severity of arterial blood pressure changes in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder treated with methylphenidate hydrochloride: a prospective non-interventional study.

Background: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common behavioural disorder in childhood. The psychostimulant methylphenidate hydrochloride (MPH) is one of the major pharmacological options for ADHD. MPH is known to result, on average, in a small increase in arterial blood pressure (BP).

Increased nocturnal heart rate and wave reflection are early markers of cardiovascular disease in Williams-Beuren syndrome children.

Objective: Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS) is a genetic disorder that involves elastin gene causing cardiovascular abnormalities and increased risk. However, data on arterial function in these patients are only few and conflicting. Aim of this study was to evaluate dynamic behaviour of central and peripheral blood pressure (BP) and arterial stiffness parameters early in the course of WBS.

Percentiles for central blood pressure and pulse wave velocity in children and adolescents recorded with an oscillometric device.

Objective: In adults with arterial hypertension, measuring arterial stiffness by pulse wave velocity (PWV) can determine the extent of cardiovascular subclinical organ damage. PWV has independent predictive value for cardiovascular events, but there are currently no recommendations for measuring PWV in children. In addition, central systolic blood pressure (cSBP) strongly reflects vascular changes.

Differences in the prevalence of metabolic disorders between prepubertal boys and girls from 5 to 8 years of age.

Aim: To determine the prevalence of metabolic abnormalities, and differences between the sexes, in prepubertal overweight and normal weight children aged from 5 to 8 years, without any signs of health impairments or metabolic disturbances at the time of recruitment.

Methods: General health status and inflammatory markers were assessed in 100 overweight and 51 normal weight children, who were living in Germany and had undergone mandatory medical examinations. The study comprised of 81 girls and 70 boys.

Association of elevated blood pressure with low distress and good quality of life: results from the nationwide representative German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents.

Objective: Quality of life is often impaired in patients with known hypertension, but it is less or not at all reduced in people unaware of their elevated blood pressure. Some studies have even shown less self-rated distress in adults with elevated blood pressure. In this substudy of the nationwide German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KIGGS), we addressed the question whether, also in adolescents, hypertensive blood pressure is linked to levels of distress and quality of life.

Oscillometric carotid to femoral pulse wave velocity estimated with the Vicorder device.

Carotid to femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) is associated with an increase in cardiovascular morbidity and all-cause mortality. Noninvasive approach has made this method applicable for the examination of larger populations. This study aimed to obtain reference values of PWV measured with the Vicorder device.

Cardiovascular considerations of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medications: a report of the European Network on Hyperactivity Disorders work group, European Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Guidelines Group on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder drug safety meeting.

Regulatory decisions regarding attention deficit hyperactivity disorder drug licensing and labelling, along with recent statements from professional associations, raise questions of practice regarding the evaluation and treatment of patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. To address these issues for the European community, the European Network for Hyperkinetic Disorders, through its European Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Guidelines Group, organised a meeting between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder specialists, paediatric cardiovascular specialists, and representatives of the major market authorisation holders for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medications. This manuscript represents their consensus on cardiovascular aspects of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medications.

Beta-blockers for congestive heart failure in children.

Background: Beta-blockers are an essential part of standard therapy in adult congestive heart failure and are therefore also expected to be beneficial in children. However, congestive heart failure in children differs strongly from that in adults in terms of characteristics and aetiology; also, an increased drug clearance has been reported. Paediatric needs have therefore to be specifically investigated.

Development of a safe and effective pediatric dosing regimen for sotalol based on population pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in children with supraventricular tachycardia.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to develop age-specific dosage guidelines for sotalol in children with supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) based on a population pharmacokinetic covariate analysis, clinical trial simulations, and pharmacodynamics.

Background: A rapid onset of an effective and safe antiarrhythmic sotalol therapy, especially for infants and neonates, is frequently delayed because of age-dependent interpatient variability in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.

Methods: Pediatric patients with SVT (mean age 3.

Effects of therapeutic beta blockade on myocardial function and cardiac remodelling in congenital cardiac disease.

Background: Cardiac remodelling is now recognised as an important aspect of cardiovascular disease progression and is, therefore, emerging as a therapeutic target in cardiac failure due to different etiologies. Little is known about the influence of different therapies for cardiac failure on the remodelling seen in infants with congenital cardiac disease.

Methods: During follow-up of a prospective and randomized trial, we investigated therapeutic effects on neurohormonal activation, ventricular function, and myocardial gene expression.

Heart rate variability in infants with heart failure due to congenital heart disease: reversal of depressed heart rate variability by propranolol.

Background: Analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) provides a noninvasive index of autonomic nervous system activity. HRV has shown to be reduced in congestive heart failure and in children with congenital heart disease (CHD). Beta-blockers improve HRV in adults with congestive heart failure, but this improvement remains to be demonstrated in children.

BMS-193884 and BMS-207940 Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Bristol-Myers Squibb is developing BMS-193884, an oral endothelin antagonist, for the potential treatment of congestive heart failure (CHF) and pulmonary hypertension [206604]. The compound entered phase I trials in November 1996 [242721] and had progressed to phase II trials [399460], [441398]. Structural modifications led to the development of a second-generation analog, BMS-207940, a biphenylsulfonamide endothelin A receptor-selective antagonist, and the probable discontinuation of the first clinical candidate, BMS-193884 [446511].

Beta-receptor downregulation in congenital heart disease: a risk factor for complications after surgical repair?

Background: Neurohormonal activation in children with heart failure due to congenital heart disease leads to downregulation of myocardial beta-receptors that may influence the postoperative course after cardiothoracic surgery.

Methods: Myocardial biopsies of 26 children (aged 14+/-4 months) were obtained from the right atrium during cardiac surgery. Patients were allocated to either of two groups based on the duration of their intensive care unit stay: group 1 comprised those who stayed less than 7 days (n = 17), whereas group 2 comprised those who stayed more than 7 days, plus 3 infants who died during the early postoperative course (n = 9).