Pediatric Cardiology Research

The Division of Pediatric Cardiology at Baylor College of Medicine/the Heart Center at Texas Children's Hospital is a leader in clinical research. Noteworthy accomplishments include the first transplant in a small child, the development of pediatric electrophysiology, inventions in cardiac catheterization and intervention, and the discovery of disease-causing genes and viral markers of acquired heart disease.

Cardiology Studies

Identification of the underlying causes of heart disease, as well as translating these discoveries to the care of children and young adults, improves treatment options for all patients with heart disease.

Research studies are focused on heart failure, cardiomyopathy, and transplant, cardiac catheterization, echocardiography/magnetic resonance imaging, electrophysiology, cardiovascular intensive care, cardiovascular genetics, including:

Viral mechanisms of cardiac rejection in pediatric transplant patients
Predictors of poor outcome, arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death in pediatric patients with dilated cardiomyopathy
Wolff-Parkinson-White and dilated cardiomyopathy
Arginine vasopressin levels as a predictor of outcome in children with congestive heart failure
Use of nesiritide in the pediatric heart failure population
Evaluation of BNP levels in the pediatric population – utility in children with cardiomyopathy, status post cardiac transplantation, and congestive heart failure
Treatment and outcome of heart failure in patients with muscular dystrophy
Effects of beta-blockade on aortic root growth in children with Marfan syndrome
Cardiac and overall outcome in children with trisomy 18

Clinical Research

As part of our ongoing commitment to provide the highest quality of patient care, the Division of Pediatric Cardiology at Baylor College of Medicine/the Heart Center at Texas Children's Hospital is a leader in clinical research. Our program actively participates in cutting-edge research that spans a broad range of clinical specialties. Inventions and discoveries by faculty of our group have been noteworthy since our early beginnings. They include the first transplant in a small child, the development of pediatric electrophysiology, inventions in cardiac catheterization and intervention, and the discovery of disease-causing genes and viral markers of acquired heart disease.

Research includes:

Viral mechanisms of cardiac rejection in pediatric transplant patients
Arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death in children with dilated cardiomyopathy and predictors of poor outcome in pediatric patients with dilated cardiomyopathy
Arginine vasopressin levels as a predictor of outcome in children with congestive heart failure
Use of nesiritide in the pediatric heart failure population
Evaluation of BNP levels in the pediatric population – utility in children with cardiomyopathy, status post cardiac transplantation, and congestive heart failure
Treatment and outcome of heart failure in patients with muscular dystrophy
Leukocyte suppression and outcomes in pediatric orthotopic cardiac transplantation
Telethonin – the link between structural abnormalities and arrhythmias
Incidence of thrombosis in restrictive cardiomyopathy
Abdominal pain in pediatric heart transplant recipients – a sign of graft vasculopathy

Research includes:

Patent ductus arteriosus characteristics – echocardiographic and angiographic predictors of suitability for interventional catheter closure
Non-invasive, real-time cardiac output evaluation
Long-term evaluation post stent placement in pulmonary arteries – impact on morbidity and mortality
Long-term follow-up after coil occlusion of coronary fistula
Balloon angioplasty of coarctation of aorta in 690-gram infant
Effect of coil occlusion of patent ductus arteriosus on atrial septal defect size
Long-term outcome of aortopulmonary collaterals in children with pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect
Interventional catheterization for pulmonary vein stenosis
Long-term outcome of balloon dilatation of aortic valve stenosis
Incidence of headaches post interventional atrial septal defect closure

Research includes:

Utility of echocardiography in the evaluation of pediatric chest pain
Correlation of electrocardiogram abnormalities with echocardiographic findings in children
Echo evaluation of isolated aortic valve regurgitation – impact on surgical timing and long-term outcome
Perioperative assessment of myocardial performance in neonates and children after cardiac repair
MRI changes in palliated patients with d-transposition of the great arteries
Echocardiographic predictors of outcome in restrictive cardiomyopathy
Growth of atrial septal defects during childhood
Harmonic imaging in pediatric echocardiography
5th aortic arch – delineation by MRI
Utility of intracardiac echo probe for transesophageal cardiac evaluation in low-weight neonates during cardiac surgery

Research includes:

Biventricular pacing in d-transposition of the great arteries in patients after Mustard palliation
Fetal arrhythmias – treatment strategies and outcome
Tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy – mechanism of tachycardia and impact on left ventricular function
Pacemaker-associated cardiomyopathy
Electrocardiogram criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy in African-American children
Routine holters versus pacemaker checks for identification of abnormalities of pacemaker function
Wolff-Parkinson-White and dilated cardiomyopathy
Incidence of arrhythmias in patients post extracardiac versus lateral tunnel Fontan palliation
Use of pacemakers/defibrillators in post cardiac transplant patients
Electrocardiogram changes after atrial septal defect surgery

Research includes:

Effects of peritoneal dialysis on serum pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in neonates post cardiopulmonary bypass
BNP levels in neonates with single ventricles before and after Norwood and Glenn palliations
NIRS in single ventricle patients
Evaluation of BNP levels in the peri-operative pediatric population
Use of fenoldopam in peri-operative pediatric patients with hypertension
Peritoneal dialysis versus Lasix infusion in neonates
Perioperative cerebral and lower body oxygen saturation in neonates undergoing congenital heart surgery
Stress dose steroid rescue in critically ill neonates
Hyperventilation and cerebral vascular effects in children after bi-directional cavopulmonary anastomosis
Comparative study of perioperative course and outcome in patients undergoing Fontan versus Fontan revision surgery

Research includes:

Effects of beta-blockade on aortic root growth in children with Marfan syndrome
Cardiac and overall outcome in children with trisomy 18

Additional research includes:

Use of caffeine citrate as prophylaxis for prostaglandin-induced apnea in neonates with ductal dependent congenital heart disease
Utility of ACE-inhibition in d-transposition of the great arteries in patients post Mustard palliation
Long-term outcomes in adults with congenital heart disease
Outcomes in adult patients with history of Kawasaki disease
Intimal constitution in aortopulmonary shunts
Incidence of sudden cardiac death in patients with Kawasaki disease
Worldwide experience with conjoined twins and septation
Double aortic arch in d-transposition of the great arteries
Regression of primary pulmonary hypertension
Neo-aortic root dilatation after arterial switch operation in d-transposition of the great arteries

Innovative Fellowship Training

Across six decades, the Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship program has led much of the innovation that characterizes the Division of Pediatric Cardiology.