Evaluation of the Levels of O-GlcNAcylation of Cardiac and Blood Proteins in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery and Identification of Therapeutic Targets

What this Trial Is About

Cardiac surgery in children often requires the use of extracorporeal circulation (ECC), which can cause significant inflammatory responses and organ injury, especially in younger or smaller patients. This research focuses on studying the levels of O-GlcNAcylation, a protein modification involved in cellular metabolism and stress adaptation, as a potential therapeutic target to improve heart and endothelial function after cardiac surgery. The study aims to better understand how O-GlcNAcylation changes during surgery and its relation to patient outcomes. Children aged 0 to 17 years undergoing cardiac surgery with ECC will participate in this observational study. Blood samples and, if available, cardiac tissue removed during surgery will be collected for analysis alongside routine medical care. The study will measure O-GlcNAcylation levels from the start of surgery to 12 hours after, using Western blot analysis on samples collected during and after the operation. Medical and administrative data will be collected retrospectively from patient records. Participants will be monitored as part of the post-operative cardiac surgery network, with data collected up to six years after surgery to explore links between O-GlcNAcylation levels and long-term prognosis. This study involves regular blood sampling during surgery and retrospective review of health records, without altering standard treatment. The goal is to identify new therapeutic targets to reduce complications like low cardiac output and organ dysfunction following ECC in children.

Evaluation of Blood and Cardiac Protein O-GlcNAcylation Levels in Cardiac Surgery in Children