Study of Possible Brain Hormone Problems After Open Heart Surgery in Infants

The goal of this study is to evaluate specific hormone levels in children undergoing heart surgery in order to identify patterns associated with any unstable vital signs. The data collected will provide preliminary answers to the question "Are hormone values a determining factor for drug administration and dosing levels?" and help establish the benefits of routine steroid and hormone administration. Sixty subjects will be enrolled. Blood samples will be drawn before the surgery,and again nine hours after surgery for analysis. Other patient data such as medications, vital signs, routine lab values and treatments will also be analyzed. As our current standard of care includes routine doses of steroids, we believe this study will increase our general knowledge and improve the care of these critically ill children. The study will also provide the foundation needed for grant support from the American Heart Association, allowing for future larger scale studies.