Clinical Research Directory

Inclusion Criteria: * Children 1 month- 18 years of age * Undergoing Cardiac surgery for the first time and requiring CPB * Surgeries for both cyatonic and acyanotic heart disease Exclusion Criteria: * Pre-mature babies (\< 28 weeks at birth) * Neonates * Prior cardiac requiring CPB * Surgeries requiring CPB \> 6 hours * Surgeries requiring second run of CPB * Patients requiring additional steroids during first 24 hours of CICU stay * Patient expires within the initial 24 hours CICU stay. * Compromised immune system - that is, known immunodeficiency or use of * immunomodulatory therapy. * Peri-operative presence of two or more clinical or laboratory signs of active infection that were not attributable to any other cause: fever more than 100°F, heart rate or respiratory rate more than the normal range for age, white blood cell count more than 15% of the upper limit of normal, and an elevated C-reactive protein level above baseline. * Preoperative mechanical ventilation, and preoperative need of inotropic agents or mechanical circulatory support. * Patient already receiving steroids