Effect of Allopurinol on Left Ventricular Function in Children With Dilated Cardiomyopathy

DCM as a serious cardiac disorder in which structural or functional abnormalities of the heart muscle can lead to substantial morbidity and mortality owing to complications such as heart failure and arrhythmia Among patients with heart failure (HF), elevated serum uric acid levels and increased oxidative stress have been associated with increased mortality, implicating xanthine oxidase as a possible therapeutic target Xanthine oxidase (XO), a superoxide-generating enzyme, is up regulated in animals (6,7) and in humans with heart failure. Acute administration of the XO inhibitor allopurinol improves the mechanical efficiency of the failing heart ), whereas oxygen consumption paradoxically decreases. Direct XO inhibition in cardiac muscle leads to increased force generation by the myofilaments at any given level of activator calcium(10).

Allopurinol, an inhibitor of xanthine oxidase, may be a novel therapeutic agent for HF. Allopurinol reduces uric acid levels, prevents acute gout, and acts as an anti oxidant, which could be beneficial among HF patients(5)