Comparison of high glucose concentration blood and crystalloid cardioplegia in paediatric cardiac surgery: a randomized clinical trial

High-sensitivity cardiac troponins in pediatric population

Apparently healthy children often complain of chest pain, especially after physical exercise. Cardiac biomarker levels are often measured, but the clinical relevance of these assays in children is still debated, even when a cardiac disease is present. Coronary artery disease is exceedingly rare in children, but elevated circulating levels of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and T (cTnT) in an acute setting may help detect heart failure due to an unknown cardiac disorder, or worsening heart failure, particularly in combination with other biomarkers such as B-type natriuretic peptides. However, the interpretation of biomarkers is often challenging, especially when institutions transition from conventional cTn assays to high-sensitivity (hs-cTn) methods, as well demonstrated in the emergency setting for adult patients. From a clinical perspective, the lack of established reference values in the pediatric age is the main problem limiting the use of hs-cTn methods for the diagnosis and managements of cardiac diseases in infants, children and adolescents. This review aims to discuss the possibility to use hs-cTnI and hs-cTnT to detect cardiac disease and to explore age-related differences in biomarker levels in the pediatric age. We start from some analytical and pathophysiological considerations related to hs-cTn assays. Then, after a systematic literature search, we discuss the current evidence and possible limitations of hs-cTn assay as indicators of cardiac disease in the most frequently cardiac disease in pediatric setting.

Investigation of myocardial protection during pediatric CPB: Practical experience in 100 Chinese hospitals

Many measures have been proposed for myocardial protection in pediatric congenital heart surgeries, but little data is available for China. This study investigates myocardial protection strategies in pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) throughout China. Online questionnaires were delivered to 100 hospitals in 27 provinces. The number of yearly on-pump pediatric cardiovascular surgeries in these hospitals varied greatly. About 91.0% of respondents believe that each surgery should have at least two perfusionists, while only 64.0% of hospitals actually met this requirement. For pediatric patients, crystalloid cardioplegia was more prevalent than blood-based cardioplegia. Histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate solution and St. Thomas crystalloid solution were dominant among crystalloid cardioplegia. Del Nido cardioplegia and St. Thomas blood-based cardioplegia ranked the top two in the popularity of blood-based cardioplegia. Dosages varied among different kinds of cardioplegia. In the choice of different cardioplegia, perfusionists mainly focused on myocardial protective effect and cost. Hypothermia of cardioplegia solution was maintained by ice buckets in 3/4 of the hospitals in this survey. In conclusion, the essence of myocardial protection management during pediatric CPB was cardiac arrest induced by cardioplegia under systemic hypothermia. However, there is no uniform standard for the type of cardioplegia, or dosages. Therefore, well-designed multicenter randomized controlled trials are warranted to provide tangible evidence for myocardial protection of cardioplegia in pediatric CPB.

Effect of single-dose crystalloid cardioplegic agent compared to bloody cardioplegic agent in cardiac surgery in children with Tetralogy of Fallot

BACKGROUND

Cardioplegia is one of the main post-operative cardiac protective factors widely used in recent decades in the form of crystalloid (St. Thomas) and bloody solutions [del Nido (DN)]. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of a crystalloid cardioplegic agent (St. Thomas) with that of a bloody cardioplegic agent (DN) in pediatric cardiac surgery among children with Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF).

METHODS

This study was performed on 60 children with TOF, who were candidates for heart repair surgery. The participants were randomly divided into two groups of crystalloid cardioplegic agent and bloody cardioplegic agent. Operative outcomes such as required time for onset of heart arrest, duration of returning to normal heart rhythm, and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time, and operative complications were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

The duration of returning to normal heart rhythm (50.43 ± 10.93 seconds vs. 43.03 ± 16.35 seconds; P = 0.044) and duration of inotropy (80.40 ± 27.14 hours vs. 63.20 ± 26.91 hours; P = 0.017) were significantly higher in the DN group compared to the St. Thomas group. However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of heart arrest time, cross-clamp time, CPB time, supplementary lasix time, duration of intubation, and intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital length of stay (LOS) (P > 0.050).

CONCLUSION

The use of St. Thomas cardioplegic solution was more effective in reducing the duration of returning to normal heart rhythm and inotropy compared with DN cardioplegic agent, and a single dose of these two cardioplegic agents can keep the mean cardiac arrest duration within the range of 50-70 minutes. It seems that the use of St. Thomas cardioplegic solution can be suggested in pediatric heart surgery.

Blood Versus Crystalloid Cardioplegia in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

The benefit of blood cardioplegia (BCP) compared to crystalloid cardioplegia (CCP) is still debatable. Our aim was to systematically review and synthesize all available evidence on the use of BCP and CCP to assess if any modality provides superior outcomes in pediatric cardiac surgery. A systematic literature search of the PubMed and Cochrane databases was performed with respect to the PRISMA statement (end-of-search date: January 30th, 2017). We extracted data on study design, demographics, cardioplegia regimens, and perioperative outcomes as well as relevant biochemical markers, namely cardiac troponin I (cTnI), lactate, and ATP levels at baseline, after reperfusion and postoperatively at 1, 4, 12, and 24 h as applicable. Data were appropriately pooled using random and mixed effects models. Our systematic review includes 56 studies reporting on a total of 7711 pediatric patients. A meta-analysis of the 10 eligible studies directly comparing BCP (n = 416) to CCP (n = 281) was also performed. There was no significant difference between the two groups with regard to cTnI and Lac at any measured time point, ATP levels after reperfusion, length of intensive care unit stay (WMD: -0.08, 95% CI -1.52 to 1.36), length of hospital stay (WMD: 0.13, 95% CI -0.85 to 1.12), and 30-day mortality (OR 1.11, 95% CI 0.43-2.88). Only cTnI levels at 4 h postoperatively were significantly lower with BCP (WMD: -1.62, 95% CI -2.07 to -1.18). Based on the available data, neither cardioplegia modality seems to be superior in terms of clinical outcomes, ischemia severity, and overall functional recovery.

Comparison of various methods of ischaemic cardioprotection on vitality of rat heart grafts

The aim of the study was to compare 4 modes of ischaemic cardioprotection using continuous prograde autologous blood perfusion of the coronary artery in two hypothermic modes (group A, B) or conventional protection by cooled Hartmann solution (group C) or cooled saline (group D) without perfusion of the graft. Male Wistar rats (n = 24) were divided into four groups (A–D). In groups A (22–25 °C) and B (4–8 °C), blood perfusion rate was 10 ml/h and the graft was placed in a water bath. Groups C, D were initially rinsed with cold (4–8 °C) Hartmann solution (C) and cold saline solution (D), next the graft was placed in a water bath of cold (4–8 °C) Hartmann solution (C) or saline solution (D). The observed time was 30 min after the implemented perfusion (A, B) or initial rinsing (C, D). At 30 min, hearts of all the groups were perfused for 10 min with prograde-autologous arterialized blood at room temperature. At perfusion minute 10, blood was collected for biochemical analysis (sample 1). Sample 2 involved blood from a portable syringe infusion pumps (in parallel with sample 1). Pairwise test differences between samples 1 and 2 were significant in all the groups as regards creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase values, sampling 1 values being always higher, while cardiac troponin I concentrations were non-significant in the same comparison. The heart rate during the final perfusion was identical in all the groups. Our study has demonstrated that all observed cardioprotection modes are useful for experimental heart grafting.