Cardiac toxicity of intravenous terbutaline for the treatment of severe asthma in children: A prospective assessment

Objective: To examine the cardiac toxicity as measured by elevations in serum cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and to compare creatine kinase (CK) and creatine kinase MB (CK-MB) and findings on electrocardiography (ECG) as markers of cardiac toxicity with cTnT during the infusion of intravenous terbutaline for the treatment of severe asthma in children. Study design: Prospective cohort study of patients receiving intravenous terbutaline for severe asthma. Results: Only 3 (10%) of the 29 patients had elevations in cTnT. Each underwent mechanical ventilation for >72 hours, which was the earliest point at which cTnT elevations were identified. Eighteen (62%) patients had an elevation in CK, and 3 had an elevation in CK-MB fraction without an elevated cTnT. Twenty (69%) patients had ECG findings consistent with ischemia, and 19 of these patients had the ischemic findings on their preterbutaline ECG. Elevations in CK and CK-MB and ischemic changes on ECG did not correlate with elevations in cTnT. Both mechanical ventilation (P =.02) and prolonged administration (>72 hours) of intravenous terbutaline (P =.02) were significantly associated with elevations in cTnT. Conclusions: We found no clinically significant cardiac toxicity from the use of intravenous terbutaline for severe asthma as measured by serum cTnT elevations. (J Pediatr 2000;137:73-7)