Randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effect of prophylactic amiodarone versus dexmedetomidine on reducing the incidence of postoperative junctional ectopic tachycardia after pediatric open heart surgery

BACKGROUND: Junctional ectopic tachycardia (JET) is the most common arrhythmia after pediatric open-heart surgeries (OHS), causing high morbidity and mortality. As diagnosis is often missed in patients with minimal hemodynamic instability, its incidence depends on active surveillance. A prospective randomized trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of prophylactic amiodarone and dexmedetomidine to prevent and control postoperative JET. METHODS: Consecutive patients aged under 12 years were randomized into amiodarone, dexmedetomidine (initiated during anesthetic induction) and control groups. Outcome measures included incidence of JET, inotropic score, ventilation, and intensive care unit (ICU) duration and hospital stay, as well as adverse drug effects. RESULTS: Two hundred and twenty-five consecutive patients with a median age of 9 months (range 2 days–144 months) and a median weight of 6.3 kg (range 1.8 kg–38 kg) were randomized with 70 patients each to amiodarone and dexmedetomidine groups, and the rest were controls. Ventricular septal defect and Fallot’s tetralogy were the common defects. The overall incidence of JET was 16.4%. Syndromic patients, hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, longer bypass, and cross-clamp duration were the risk factors for JET. Patients with JET had significantly prolonged ventilation (P = 0.043), longer ICU (P = 0.004), and hospital stay (P = 0.034) than those without JET. JET was less frequent in amiodarone (8.5%) and dexmedetomidine (14.2%) groups compared to controls (24.7%) (P = 0.022). Patients receiving amiodarone and dexmedetomidine had significantly lower inotropic requirements, lower ventilation duration (P = 0.008), ICU (P = 0.006), and hospital stay (P = 0.05). Adverse effects such as bradycardia and hypotension after amiodarone and ventricular dysfunction after dexmedetomidine were not significantly different from controls. CONCLUSION: Prophylactic amiodarone or dexmedetomidine started before OHS is effective and safe for the prevention of postoperative JET.