Preservation of renal function in cardiac surgery patients with low cardiac output syndrome: levosimendan vs beta agonists.

BACKGROUND: Some studies have been performed to assess the effects of levosimendan on cardiac function when administered to cardiac surgery patients with low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS) in the immediate postoperative period. Levosimendan is an inotropic agent for the treatment of low cardiac output syndrome that seems to have a protective effect on renal function. METHODS: It is a quasi-experimental study. A total of 100 patients with LCOS received either beta-agonists or levosimendan. We assessed the incidence of postoperative kidney failure in cardiac surgery patients. In patients who had kidney failure at diagnosis of LCOS, we examined whether differences existed in the evolution of kidney failure based on the treatment administered for LCOS. The parameters measured included haemodynamics, oxygen supply, and renal function as assessed by the AKI scale. ANOVA, Student's t-test and Wilcoxon or Friedman tests were used. RESULTS: Up to 30% of cardiac surgery patients had kidney failure at diagnosis of LCOS. Kidney failure at discharge from the ICU was more frequent in patients who received beta-agonist drugs as compared to those who received levosimendan (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The incidence of kidney failure decreased with the postoperative administration of levosimendan to cardiac surgery patients with LCOS, as compared to beta-agonists. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN 46058317. Date of registration: 7/10/2019. Retrospectively registered.

Calcium Sensitizers in Cardiac Surgery: Who, When, How and Why?

Inodilators are a heterogeneous group of drugs with vasodilatory and inotropic effects. The cardioprotective effect of levosimendan is multifactorial, but now research on levosimendan is focused on the organ-protective properties of this drug in different settings, the regimen that seems to provide the greatest cardiologic and systemic benefits is early administration of levosimendan. We try to answer four questions in this review, which type of patients need this drug? what is the best time to start with it? and the best way that we could give it and finally the reasons for use it.

Mechanisms of Cardioprotection of Halogenated Agents During Extracorporeal Circulation in Cardiac Surgery.

The implementation of cardioprotective strategies involving pre-, intra-, and postoperative interventions is key during cardiac surgery requiring extracorporeal circulation (ECC). The primary goal of this study was to review the physiopathology and protection strategies against myocardial damage secondary to ECC during cardiac surgery. The administration halogenated anesthetics for cardiac anesthesia is common place due to their well-known cardioprotective effects and their capacity to ensure hypnosis. An optimal myocardial protection strategy requires that a comprehensive approach should be adopted to cover pre-, intra-, and post-operative interventions. Pre-conditioning and post-conditioning share numerous pathways, mainly based on mitochondrial signaling, antiapoptotic pathways, and reduced inflammatory mediators. However, volatile anesthetic can also be administered during ECC, in which mechanism of action has been scantly investigated, during this period and its biology is still unknown.

Cardioprotective efficacy of sevoflurane vs. propofol during induction and/or maintenance in patients undergoing coronary artery revascularization surgery without pump: A randomized trial.

PURPOSE: Pre and post-operative administration of sevoflurane in myocardial revascularization surgery provides enhanced cardioprotective effects exerted by pharmacologic pre- and post-conditioning, as compared to propofol. The identification of the enzymes involved in conditioning mechanisms is crucial to the understanding of the effects of sevoflurane in cardiac surgery patients. The impact of sevoflurane on another crucial target organ-the kidney-was also assessed. METHODS: Ninety patients undergoing off-pump myocardial revascularization surgery were allocated to receive either intra- and postoperative sevoflurane (SS), intraoperative sevoflurane and postoperative propofol (SP), or intra- and postoperative propofol (PP)). Troponin I and hemodynamic parameters were monitored during the first 48 postoperative hours; blood and urine samples were collected at baseline and at 24h to determine Akt, ERK1/2, PKG, iNO, bradykinin receptor, caspase 3, NT proBNP and urinary NGAL. RESULTS: The enzymes were overexpressed in the SS group, remained unchanged in the SP group, and decreased in the PP group. Renal function was best preserved in the SS group. CONCLUSIONS: The overexpression of enzymes induced by intraoperative anesthesia and postoperative sedation with sevoflurane reduces myocardial damage and improves renal function in patients undergoing off-pump myocardial revascularization surgery.

Assessing the effect of preoperative levosimendan on renal function in patients with right ventricular dysfunction.

The Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) classification considers SCr values, urea and urine output in order to improve timely diagnose ARF and improve patient prognosis by early treatment. Preoperative levosimendan is a new way for cardiac and kidney protection, we try to evaluate this drug in fifteen patients comparing values of AKIN scale parameters pre and post cardiac surgery in patients with right ventricle dysfunction.

Preoperative levosimendan. A new way for organoprotection.

Preoperative use of levosimendan in cardiac surgery patients is one of the most attractive therapeutic alternatives in subjects with left or right ventricular dysfunction. Our review explores the pharmacological bases and clinical evidence for the use of levosimendan, with the intention of making a series of recommendations regarding its use in preoperative optimization prior to cardiac surgery. We carried out a survey of 102 Spanish anesthesiologists in order to shed light on the grey areas regarding the use of this drug prior to surgery. Our findings suggest that levosimendan is recommended for patients with severe left or right ventricular dysfunction, moderate left ventricular dysfunction in which Intra-aortic Balloon Counterpulsation (IABC) is necessary and severe pulmonary hypertension. Administration of levosimendan prior to surgical cardiac intervention without an initial bolus reduces the likelihood of complications.

[Human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis B virus in children transfused in the Dr. Luis Manuel Morillo King Hospital]. / Virus de inmunodeficiencia humana y hepatitis B en ninos transfundidos en el Hospital "Dr. Luis Manuel Morillo King".

PIP: The archives of the blood bank of the hospital of Dr. Louis Manual Morillo King, in the city of La Vega, Dominican Republic, were reviewed to identify all children who had been given blood transfusion during the period of July 1983 to July 1987 in order to identify HIV and the surface antigen of hepatitis B (HBsAg). Those who were released were visited in their homes for administration of HIV and hepatitis tests. Positive tests were confirmed by another test (AUSYME MONOCLONAL and Western Blot). Mothers were also tested to detect vertical transmission. 256 patients had been transfused, of whom 61 died. 80 of the 195 remaining patients could not be located. Of the 115 patients located, 52 had died in their homes after release from the hospital. Thus, the sample comprised 63 patients: 36 were 0-3 years old, 21 were 4-7 years old, and 6 were 8-11 years old. 50 lived in rural and 13 in urban areas. 56 patients had one transfusion and 4 had two transfusions. 28 patients had transfusion for anemia, 19 for malnutrition, 7 for sepsis, 6 for various reasons (meningitis, pleuritis, pneumonia), and 3 for sickle cell disease. 47 patients had been transfused at the hospital using the blood bank, 13 used blood from relatives, and 3 received blood from friends. Out of the 63 samples processed, 2 patients presented seropositivity for hepatitis B, while none were seropositive for HIV. Among the 2 patients who were seropositive for hepatitis B, the mother of one of them was also seropositive.^ieng