title: Impact of hematocrit value after coronary artery surgery on perioperative myocardial infarction rate.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The optimal hematocrit (HCT) value after coronary artery bypass grafting on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) has not yet been established. The purpose of our retrospective study was to investigate the association between HCr at the time of entry into the ICU and perioperative Ml rate.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed the charts of 500 consecutive coronary artery surgery patients with respect to biometric data, operative procedure, aprotinin or tranexamic acid use, perioperative drainage blood loss and transfusion requirements, perioperative Ml, ICU stay and hospital mortality. Perioperative Ml was defined as new Q-wave on ECG and CK-MB 250U/I. Patients were categorized into three groups depending on their HCr value at the time of entry into the ICU: low (HCTcu 27%): medium (HCr,cu 28% to 32%); high(HCTrcu > or =33%).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Age, gender distribution, preoperative LV function, and previous Ml rate were similar between the three groups. Low HCT patients (n -133) received 3.1 +/- 1.0 (Mean + SD) grafts during 55 +/- 19 minutes aortic cross clamp time, 98 +/- 31 minutes on CPB (medium HCT: n = 257; 3.2 +/- 1.0 grafts, 51 +/- 20 min cross clamp time, 93 +/- 30 min CPB; p - 0.45 vs. low HCT; high HCT: n = 110: 3.3 +/- 1:0 grafts; 53 +/- 20 min cross clamp time; 104 +/- 38 min CPB; p = 0.02 vs. medium HCT). The perioperative Ml rate was 3.8% in the low, 4.3% in the medium, and 6.4% in the high-HCr group (p =0.59 ). Intraoperative red blood cell and fresh frozen plasma transfusions were similar between the groups. In the low-HCa group, 53.4% of the patients received aprotinin during the procedure (medium HCa: 65.4%; high HCT: 77.3%; p<0.001). Drainage blood loss during the first 24 hours on ICU was 834 +/- 453 ml in the low, 757 +/- 485 ml in the medium (p -0.44 vs. low), and 640 +/- 353 ml in the high-HCr group (p = 0.003 vs. low). Postoperative red blood cell and fresh frozen plasma transfusions were highest in the low-HCa group(p<0.001). ICU stay was similar between the groups. Hospital mortality was 0.75% in the low, 1.9% in the medium, and 4.5%in the high-HCa group (p = 0.12).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this retrospective analysis of 500 consecutive coronary artery surgery patients, we did not find any association between perioperative Ml rate and HCr value on entry into the ICU. These results do not support the recent suggestion that low HCT at the time of entry into the ICU protects against perioperative Ml.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany. oliver.klass@medizin.uni-koeln.de
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Klass
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Mehlhorn
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zilkens
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kröner
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hekmat
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Geissler
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: de Vivie
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D005260:Female; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012189:Retrospective Studies