title: Does desmopressin acetate reduce blood loss after surgery in patients on cardiopulmonary bypass?
abstract: It has been suggested that desmopressin acetate (DDAVP) administration reduces blood loss after cardiac surgery. We have investigated the effect of DDAVP administration in a double-blind, randomized, prospective trial including 100 patients placed on cardiopulmonary bypass during surgery. Fifty patients received 0.3 micrograms/kg DDAVP and 50 patients received a placebo administered in a 50 ml saline solution over 15 min when cardiopulmonary bypass had been concluded. Results showed no significant differences either in total blood loss per square meter (458 +/- 206 ml in the DDAVP group vs 536 +/- 304 ml in the placebo group) or in necessity for red cell transfusions (1642 +/- 705 ml in the DDAVP group vs 1574 +/- 645 ml in the placebo group) in the first 72 hr after surgery. Only intraoperative blood loss per square meter was significantly lower (p less than .02) in the DDAVP group (131 +/- 106 ml) as compared with the placebo group (193 +/- 137 ml). The prolongation of bleeding time and the decrease of factor VIII:C and factor VIII:von Willebrand factor 90 min after treatment were significantly lower (p less than .001) in the DDAVP group as compared with the placebo group. We conclude that the administration of DDAVP in patients placed on cardiopulmonary bypass during surgery does not reduce total blood loss and is only effective in reducing intraoperative bleeding.
authors.affiliation: Hematology and Cardiovascular Surgery Services, University Clinic, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Llorens
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Páramo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arcas
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cuesta
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Trenor
mesh_terms: D001803:Blood Transfusion; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003894:Deamino Arginine Vasopressin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003894:Deamino Arginine Vasopressin