How to assess heart failure

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The clinical assessment of congestive heart failure in children can be difficult. The New York Heart Association classification system, which is often used in adults, may not apply in children. This problem has led to several attempts to develop a system that is easily applicable in a clinical setting.

Tissieres et al evaluated previously published approaches to classification of heart failure by echocardiographic, radiologic, and electrocardiographic measurements, as well as biochemical markers of heart failure. They found that the Pediatric Heart Failure Index corresponded better to biochemical and other more objective measures of heart failure in children. This supports the use of the Pediatric Heart Failure Index in practice.