The New York University Pediatric Heart Failure Index: A new method of quantifying chronic heart failure severity in children

Heart Failure in Children

“…24 Consideration of digitalis is based on the modest symptomatic improvement seen in trials of adult patients with heart failure, even at relatively low doses. A recent prospective nonrandomized study in 102 children with congenital heart disease and DCM found that torasemide, a newer loop diuretic with potassium-sparing properties, significantly improved the New York University Pediatric Heart Failure Index, 49 decreased BNP levels, and improved fractional shortening, with no change in potassium or sodium levels in children who had not previously received diuretic therapy. 50 The largest improvements in clinical outcomes in studies of adults with heart failure have come from therapies that modify the neurohormonal milieu.…”

Aetiology, diagnosis and management of heart failure in infants and children

“…(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21) Heart failure staging in infants and children is presented in Table II. (16) Classification of heart failure severity may include the New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification which is applicable only to adults and adolescents (17) (Table III); the Ross Classification which is applicable to children of all ages and cular dysfunction as the pulmonary pressures decrease postdelivery.…”

“…(18)(19)(20) Classification of heart failure in the paediatric population may also include The New York University Paediatric Heart Failure Index. (21) Like the NYHA classification, the Ross classification of severity of heart failure in children and infants has 4 classes as follows:…”

Prognosis of Dilated Cardiomyopathy with Severe Heart Failure according to Functional Classification Scales in Childhood

“…Currently, the scales available for assessing HF severity in childhood and adolescence are the New York Heart Association (NYHA) Functional Classification (FC), 8 The New York University Pediatric Heart Failure Index (The NYU PHFI) score, 9 and the Ross scales (version 1992 10 modified by Läer et al 11 in 2002 and the 2012 version). 12 The NYHA classification, widely used in adults, is reported to be useful to quantify HF in older children and adolescents.…”

“…9 Subsequently, this Ross classification was modified to be adapted to the peculiarities of each age group. 10 The latest version of the Ross scale, published in 2012, is wide-ranging and difficult to use routinely.…”