Plasma norepinephrine levels in infants and children with congestive heart failure

ABSTRACT

To characterize the sympathetic nervous system response to congestive heart failure in infants and children, plasma norepinephrine levels were measured in 29 patients aged 4 months to 15 years undergoing routine cardiac catheterization at Dong San Hospital, Keimyung University during the period of 4 months from November 1990 to February 1991. Plasma norepinephrine levels were significantly higher in patients with heart disease and congestive heart failure than in those without congestive heart failure(P<0.001). A significant association was found between the level of plasma norepinephrine and severity of the symptoms of congestive heart failure. Plasma norepinephrine levels correlated well with size of the shunt (Qp/Qs)(gamma=0.75), degree of pulmonary arterial pressure (gamma=0.79) and degree of right ventricular pressure (gamma=0.82).