Perioperative Medication Management in Adult Cardiac Surgery: The 2017 European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery Guidelines

Prospective randomized double-blind study to evaluate the superiority of Vasopressin versus Norepinephrine in the management of the patient at renal risk undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (NOVACC trial)

BACKGROUND

Cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CS-AKI) affects up to 30% of patients, increasing morbidity and healthcare costs. This condition results from complex factors like ischemia-reperfusion injury and renal hemodynamic changes, often exacerbated by surgical procedures. Norepinephrine, commonly used in cardiac surgeries, may heighten the risk of CS-AKI. In contrast, vasopressin, a noncatecholaminergic agent, shows potential in preserving renal function by favorably affecting renal hemodynamic. Preliminary findings, suggest vasopressin could reduce the incidence of CS-AKI compared to norepinephrine. Additionally, vasopressin is linked to a lower incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation, another factor contributing to longer hospital stays and higher costs. This study hypothesizes that vasopressin could effectively reduce CS-AKI occurrence and severity by optimizing renal perfusion during cardiac surgeries.

STUDY DESIGN

The NOVACC trial (NCT05568160) is a multicenter, randomized, double blinded superiority-controlled trial testing the superiority of vasopressin over norepinephrine in patients scheduled for cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The primary composite end point is the occurrence of acute kidney injury and death. The secondary end points are neurological, cardiologic, digestive, and vasopressor related complications at day 7, day 30, day 90, hospital and intensive care unit lengths of stay, medico-economic costs at day 90.

CONCLUSION

The NOVACC trial will assess the effectiveness of vasopressin in cardiac surgery with CPB in reducing acute kidney injury, mortality, and medical costs.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT05568160.

A systematic review of the evidence supporting post-operative medication use in congenital heart disease

BACKGROUND

Targeted drug development efforts in patients with CHD are needed to standardise care, improve outcomes, and limit adverse events in the post-operative period. To identify major gaps in knowledge that can be addressed by drug development efforts and provide a rationale for current clinical practice, this review evaluates the evidence behind the most common medication classes used in the post-operative care of children with CHD undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass.

METHODS

We systematically searched PubMed and EMBASE from 2000 to 2019 using a controlled vocabulary and keywords related to diuretics, vasoactives, sedatives, analgesics, pulmonary vasodilators, coagulation system medications, antiarrhythmics, steroids, and other endocrine drugs. We included studies of drugs given post-operatively to children with CHD undergoing repair or palliation with cardiopulmonary bypass.

RESULTS

We identified a total of 127 studies with 51,573 total children across medication classes. Most studies were retrospective cohorts at single centres. There is significant age- and disease-related variability in drug disposition, efficacy, and safety.

CONCLUSION

In this study, we discovered major gaps in knowledge for each medication class and identified areas for future research. Advances in data collection through electronic health records, novel trial methods, and collaboration can aid drug development efforts in standardising care, improving outcomes, and limiting adverse events in the post-operative period.

A Nomogram for Predicting Long Length of Stay in The Intensive Care Unit in Patients Undergoing CABG: Results From the Multicenter E-CABG Registry

OBJECTIVE

Many papers evaluated predictive factors for prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) stay after cardiac surgery, but efforts in translating those models in practical clinical tools is lacking. The aim of this study was to build a new nomogram score and test its calibration and discrimination power for predicting a long length of stay in the ICU among patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG).

DESIGN

Retrospective analysis of an international registry.

SETTING

Multicentric.

PARTICIPANTS

Based on the european multicenter study on coronary artery bypass grafting (E-CABG) registry (NCT02319083), a total of 7,352 consecutive patients who underwent isolated CABG were analyzed.

INTERVENTIONS

A "long length of stay" in the ICU was considered when equal to or more than 3 days. Predictive factors were analyzed through a multivariate logistic regression model that was used for the nomogram.

RESULTS

Long length of ICU stay was observed in 2,665 patients (36.2%). Ten independent variables were included in the final regression model: the SYNTAX score class critical preoperative state, left ventricular ejection fraction class, angina at rest, poor mobility, recent potent antiplatelet use, estimated glomerular filtration rate class, body mass index, sex, and age. Based on this 10-risk factors logistic regression model, a nomogram has been designed.

CONCLUSION

The authors defined a nomogram model that can provide an individual prediction of long length of ICU stay in cardiovascular surgical patients undergoing CABG. This type of model would allow an early recognition of high-risk patients who might receive different preoperative and postoperative treatments to improve outcomes.

The Impact of Anesthetic Regimen on Outcomes in Adult Cardiac Surgery: A Narrative Review

Despite improvements in surgical techniques and perioperative care, cardiac surgery still is burdened by relatively high mortality and frequent major postoperative complications, including myocardial dysfunction, pulmonary complications, neurologic injury, and acute kidney injury. Although the surgeon's skills and volume and patient- and procedure-related risk factors play a major role in the success of cardiac surgery, there is growing evidence that also optimizing perioperative care may improve outcomes significantly. The present review focuses on the aspects of perioperative care that are strictly related to the anesthesia regimen, with special reference to volatile anesthetics and neuraxial anesthesia, whose effect on outcome in adult cardiac surgery has been investigated extensively.