A Single-center, Pharmacokinetic Evaluation of Nesiritide in the Pediatric Population With Heart Failure

Nesiritide (human recombinant B-type natriuretic peptide) has been recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the intravenous treatment of patients with decompensated congestive heart failure. Nesiritide has been studied in a broad range of patients, including the elderly, women, and African Americans, and patients with a history of various cardiovascular conditions including hypertension, diabetes, post myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation/flutter, nonsustained ventricular tachycardia, left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, and acute coronary syndrome. However, clinical experience in the pediatric population has been limited.

Nesiritide is a human B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) produced by recombinant technology having the same amino acid sequence as the naturally occurring human BNP. BNP is predominantly secreted by the cardiac ventricles in response to increased cardiac volume and pressure overload. Its pharmacologic effects include hemodynamic, neurohormonal, and renal. In adult studies, hemodynamic effects are characterized by balanced venous and arterial dilation, resulting in decreased preload and afterload demonstrated by a reduction of pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, pulmonary arterial pressure, and systemic vascular resistance while neurohormonal effects of nesiritide favorably inhibit the renin-angiotension-aldosterone system, leading to decreased plasma aldosterone and norepinephrine levels. The renal effects most often seen with nesiritide use is increased urine output and lower diuretic utilization.

There are currently no published articles discussing the use, including pharmacokinetics, of nesiritide in children. However, there are several centers that are currently using the drug - Columbus, Missouri; San Diego, California; Charleston, South Carolina; Loma Linda, California. Our experience in the infant after cardiac surgery and the older child with heart failure is encouraging. In children receiving nesiritide therapy, we noted significant clinical improvement with no appreciable side effects. Based on our initial experience, further prospective studies need to be performed in order to determine the pharmacokinetics and safety of using this therapy in the pediatric cohort.