Clinical implication of intraoperative ventricular-arterial coupling in pediatric patients undergoing ventricular septal defects repair: A retrospective cohort study

Frequency domain analysis of photoplethysmographic and arterial pressure waveforms for assessing hemodynamics in children with congenital heart surgery

BACKGROUND

Time-domain parameters are less reliable in children due to increased arterial and chest wall compliance. We assessed the ability of indices derived from frequency analysis of photoplethysmography (PPG) and arterial blood pressure (ABP) waveforms to predict the hemodynamic state in children undergoing congenital heart surgery.

METHODS

We analyzed waveforms after cardiopulmonary bypass period in 76 children who underwent total repair of congenital heart disease. Amplitude density of baseline and amplitude modulation in PPG and ABP by respiratory frequency were obtained using fast Fourier transform analysis and normalized by cardiac pulse height (representing respiratory modulations in venous blood [PPG-DC%] and in amplitude [PPG-AC%] at respiratory frequency). The ratio of amplitude density of PPG at the cardiac frequency (CF) to ABP-CF was used to assess vascular compliance. We assessed volume replacement (ml/kg) and vasoactive inotropic score (VIS).

RESULTS

Children requiring volume replacement > 10 ml/kg (15.8%) showed higher PPG-DC% than those not requiring it (median: 52.4%, 95% CI [24.8, 295.1] vs. 36.7% [10.7, 125.7], P = 0.017). In addition, children with a VIS > 7 (22.4%) showed higher PPG-CF/ABP-CF (3.6 [0.91, 10.8] vs. 1.2 [0.27, 5.5], P = 0.008). On receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, PPG-DC% predicted a higher fluid requirement (area under the curve: 0.71, 95% CI [0.604, 0.816], P = 0.009), while PPG-CF/ABP-CF predicted a higher VIS (0.714, [0.599, 0.812], P = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

Frequency domain analysis of PPG and ABP may assess hemodynamic status requiring fluid or vasoactive inotropic therapy after congenital heart surgery.

Ventriculo-arterial coupling for predicting cardiac index increase in infants after heart surgery

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to test the ability of ventriculo-arterial coupling (VAC) to predict cardiac index (CI) response after milrinone infusion.

METHODS

This was a retrospective, observational study. We measured arterial blood pressure and echocardiography-derived variables, including CI, systemic vascular resistance index, arterial elastance (Ea) and end-systolic ventricular elastance before and after 18-24 h of milrinone infusion. VAC was calculated as the ratio of Ea to end-systolic elastance. Infants with over 15% increase in the CI were defined as CI responders. Logistical regression was used to evaluate predictors of CI responders.

RESULTS

We enrolled 92 infants who underwent cardiac surgery and received milrinone infusion, of whom 45 infants were CI responders. High VAC (odds ratio = 5.534, 95% confidence interval 2.339-13.090) and high Ea (odds ratio = 3.035, 95% confidence interval 1.459-6.310) were independently associated with cardiac index responders. Pre-milrinone VAC predicted CI responsiveness with a cut-off value of 1.12 (area under the curve = 0.900, 95% confidence interval 0.819-0.953, P < 0.0001). Furthermore, we observed a decrease in the infant's VAC, Ea and systemic vascular resistance index after milrinone infusion.

CONCLUSIONS

In infants with congenital heart disease after surgery, a pre-milrinone VAC >1.12 can predict the increase in the CI following milrinone infusion.