title: Arterial switch operation: troponin T does not predict ventilation requirements.
abstract: The aim of this study was to assess whether postoperative cardiac troponin T levels could predict ventilation requirements in infants undergoing the arterial switch operation. Cardiac troponin T was measured 6 hours after aortic cross clamping and prior to tracheal extubation in 20 consecutive patients; 10 had simple and 10 had complex (with ventricular septal defect) transposition of the great arteries. The mean plasma troponin T level prior to extubation did not differ significantly in patients who were re-intubated and those who were successfully extubated. The initial cardiac troponin T levels in the complex defect group was significantly higher than in the simple transposition group. There was no correlation between initial cardiac troponin T levels and the duration of mechanical ventilation. There was no difference in mean duration of ventilation between the 2 groups. It was concluded that the postoperative cardiac troponin T level is not a predictor of successful extubation or prolonged artificial ventilation in this subset.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Anesthesia and Cardiothoracic Surgery, Royal Hospital, Seeb, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman. madan@omantel.net.om
authors.forename: Madan M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Maddali
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Valliattu
authors.forename: Taha
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Al Delamie
authors.forename: Sunny
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zacharias
authors.forename: Ahmed R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Shyam S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Ganguly
mesh_terms: D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006345:Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular / Q000097:blood / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000379:methods*; D014188:Transposition of Great Vessels / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D020107:Troponin T / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D020107:Troponin T