Identifying a prognostic serum biomarker for low cardiac output syndrome after congenital heart surgery

Lay Summary: Low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS) is a common and serious issue for infants and children after heart surgery for congenital heart defects. LCOS impacts up to 60% of patients and leads to high death rates. Hydrocortisone, a steroid medicine, can reduce the chances of LCOS when given after surgery, but we still don’t fully understand how it works or how to predict its effects. We found that a protein called Neurogranin (Nrgn) is important for heart health and is affected by hydrocortisone. Nrgn helps increase another protein called Dkk3, which is vital for heart function after injury. Our experiments with mice showed that boosting Nrgn and Dkk3 can protect the heart. We are now looking into whether Dkk3 levels in the blood can predict LCOS risk and how well hydrocortisone works in kids after CHD surgery. This research could lead to better ways to prevent and manage LCOS in in infants and children after heart surgery for congenital heart defects.