Changes and its influencing factors of procalcitonin in pediatric cardiac surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

ABSTRACT

@#Objective    To explore the natural changes of procalcitonin (PCT) in the early period after pediatric cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Methods    A prospective and observational study was done on patients below 3 years of age, who underwent cardiac surgery involving CPB, with the risk adjustment of congenital heart surgery (RACHS) score of 2 to 5 and free from active preoperative infection or inflammatory disease. Blood samples for measurement of PCT, C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell (WBC) were taken before surgery and daily for 7 days in postoperative period. Infections and complications within 7 days after operation were investigated. According to the presence or absence of infection and complications within 7 days after operation, the enrolled children were divided into an infection+complications group, a simple infection group, a simple complication group, and a normal group. Results     Finally, 429 children with PICU stay≥ 4 days were enrolled, including 268 males and 161 females, with a median age of 8.0 (0.7, 26.0) months. There were 145 children in the simple infection group, 38 children in the simple complication group, 230 children in the normal group and 16 children in the infection+complications group. The levels of PCT, CRP and WBC were significantly higher after CPB. CRP and WBC peaked on the second postoperative day (POD) and remained higher than normal until POD7. PCT peaked on POD1 and would generally decrease to normal on POD5 if without infection and complications. Age, body weight, RACHS scores, the duration of CPB and aortic cross-clamping time were correlated with PCT level. There was a statistical difference in PCT concentration between the simple infection group and the normal group on POD 3-7 (P<0.01) and a statistical difference between the simple complication group and the normal group on POD 1-7 (P<0.01). A statistical difference was found between the simple infection group and the simple complication group in PCT on POD 1-5 (P<0.05). Conclusion    WBC, CRP and PCT significantly increase after CPB in pediatric cardiac surgery patients. The factors influencing PCT concentration include age, weight, RACHS scores, CPB and aortic cross-clamping time, infection and complications.