Investigation of Novel Biomarkers and Treatment Targets for Pediatric Heart Failure
Abstract
Human hearts are unable to self-repair due to their very limited endogenous regenerative capacity. Thus, mortality rates of heart failure are extremely high. Indeed, pediatric heart failure (PHF) is the leading non-trauma related cause of death for infant, child, or adolescent in the United States. Many children with PHF are treated by inserting a pump known as a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) into the heart to help circulate blood. However, most patients don't response to LVAD and require heart transplantation. Unfortunately, heart transplantation is severely limited by the scarcity of donor hearts. Obviously, it has great clinical value if we could find a way to predict if the PHF patient response to LVAD treatment, to help with clinical care and physicians decisions on whether heart transplantation will be needed. Our study will develop methods based on gene expression signatures for predicting PHF patients are LVAD treatment responders or non-responders. Moreover, identification of biomarkers in blood samples will provide a novel non-invasive method to understand if the heart is improving on LVA D treatment. Importantly, if we could find a way to facilitate endogenous cardiac regeneration, then survival rates of PHF would greatly improve. Our study will use cutting edge techniques to gain important insight of molecular mechanisms that stimulate endogenous cardiac regeneration, and develop potential novel therapeutic approaches.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2018
- Accession Number
- AD1061957
Entities
People
- James F. Martin
Organizations
- Baylor College of Medicine