Elevated intestinal fatty acid binding protein and gastrointestinal complications following cardiopulmonary bypass: a preliminary analysis.
BACKGROUND
Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is associated with poorly understood alterations in gastrointestinal (GI) perfusion. Intestinal fatty acid binding protein (IFABP), a cytosolic protein uniquely located in mature small-intestinal enterocytes, has been shown to be a sensitive biochemical marker of early intestinal ischemia when assayed in urine. We hypothesized that if significant small-intestinal ischemia occurs with CPB, then urine IFABP levels should be concomitantly elevated.


METHODS
Twenty-nine patients (15 low risk and 14 high risk) undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB were studied prospectively. Serial urine IFABP levels were measured and results were correlated with clinical outcomes.


RESULTS
None of the low-risk patients had IFABP elevations or experienced GI complications. Five of the high-risk patients had IFABP elevations, and three of the five developed GI complications. Within the high-risk cohort, the only significant difference between patients with or without IFABP elevations was the GI complication rate (P = 0.03). Overall, patients with IFABP elevations had a significantly higher mean ASA class and significant increases in mean CPB and aortic cross-clamp times, mean time to oral intake, median ICU and postoperative lengths of stay, and GI complications.


CONCLUSIONS
In low-risk bypass patients, small-bowel mucosal perfusion appeared to be maintained, while in the high-risk population, 21% of the patients sustained clinically significant mucosal compromise. In this pilot study, urine IFABP was 100% sensitive and 92% specific with respect to GI complications. Since elevated urine IFABP concentrations appeared to correlate with clinical GI complications, urine IFABP may be a useful marker to identify the patient at risk for postbypass GI complications.
Holmes
J H
JH
Department of General Surgery, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98111, USA.
Lieberman
J M
JM
Probert
C B
CB
Marks
W H
WH
Hill
M E
ME
Paull
D L
DL
Guyton
S W
SW
Sacchettini
J
J
Hall
R A
RA
D000368:Aged; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000652:urine*; D000071438:Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 7; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007422:Intestines / Q000098:blood supply; D007511:Ischemia / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins
D002352:Carrier Proteins; C107608:FABP7 protein, human; D000071438:Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 7; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins