Loading...
Several beta-blockers have demonstrated benefit as adjuncts to standard drug therapy for adults with heart failure, but whether beta-blockers benefit children with HF remains to be determined. To address this issue, investigators at 26 U.S. centers conducted a manufacturer-funded, double-blind study in medically treated children and adolescents with chronic HF (NYHA class II to IV). The 161 participants were randomized to placebo or to carvedilol at a target dose of either 12.5 mg (0.2 mg/kg in patients <62.5 kg) or 25 mg (0.4 mg/kg in patients <62.5 kg), twice daily for 8 months. The primary endpoint was a determination of “worsened,”“improved,” or “unchanged” clinical status, taking into account mortality, change in NYHA functional class,…