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Life-threatening cardiac hypertrophy associated with dexamethasone treatment of bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 August 2008

Keith J. Gallaher*
Affiliation:
From the Division of Neonatology, Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, Fayetteville
Braxton Strickland
Affiliation:
Department of Nursing, Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, Fayetteville
Kimberly Pickett
Affiliation:
The Heart Center, Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, Fayetteville
Jan M. Carter
Affiliation:
From the Division of Neonatology, Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, Fayetteville
*
Dr. Keith J. Gallaher, Division of Neonatology, Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, P. O. Box 2000, Fayetteville, NC 28302USA. Tel. 910-609-6762; Fax. 910-433-7696.

Summary

We report the case of an infant who developed severe cardiac compromise due to hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy that developed while he was being treated with dexamethasone for bronchopulmonary dysplasia. This case is illustrative, as previous reports have described steroid-induced hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy as being transient and benign. In this infant, the hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, waxed, waned, waxed, and waned again during two courses of dexamethasone, thus strengthening a causal link with steroid therapy. A high index of suspicion of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy as the etiology of hypoperfusion in steroid-treated infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia is important. Serial echocardiographic monitoring of these infants is helpful in identifying cardiac compromise.

Type
Brief Reports
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

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References

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