Beneficial effect of fenoldopam mesylate in preventing peak blood lactate level during cardiopulmonary bypass for paediatric cardiac surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of fenoldopam mesylate (dose 0.2 µg/kg/min) in reducing the occurrence of hyperlactataemia (i.e. peak level of blood lactate >2.0 mM/l) during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in paediatric cardiac surgery. Hyperlactataemia occurring during CPB for paediatric cardiac surgery is considered an early biomarker of an increased risk of poor outcome.


METHODS
This was a dose/effectiveness clinical study applying Simon's two-stage optimal design with 5% type I error rate and 90% statistical power. Following parents' written informed consent, 53 children undergoing elective cardiac surgery with CPB between March 2009 and February 2012 were enrolled. Inclusion criteria were children weighing 3-15 kg scheduled for elective cardiac surgery and with expected CPB time of 60-180 min. Patients requiring surgery with total circulatory arrest were excluded. All patients received fenoldopam infusion at a dose of 0.2 µg/kg/min from the beginning of surgery until the end of CPB.


RESULTS
The primary end-point was the evaluation of response to fenoldopam, i.e., blood lactate levels ≤2.0 mM/l. A total of 53 children, median age 5.7 months (range 11 days to 48 months) were enrolled. In the first stage, 18 of 19 (95%) children achieved normalization of lactate values. Then the study was continued to stage II by enrolling an additional 34 patients. At study conclusion, 96.2% of patients showed normalized lactate values. Fenoldopam infusion was well tolerated in all patients. No adverse events were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, fenoldopam at a dose of 0.2 µg/kg/min was well tolerated in paediatric patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery with CPB. In 96.2% of patients, infusion of fenoldopam was associated with intraoperative blood lactate <2.0 mM/l.
Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy.
Laura
L
Ressia
UOSD Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Committees, Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy mariagraziacalevo@ospedale-gaslini.ge.it.
Maria Grazia
MG
Calevo
Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy.
Franco
F
Lerzo
Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy.
Anna Maria
AM
Carleo
Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy.
Lara
L
Petrucci
Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy.
Giovanni
G
Montobbio
D000140:Acidosis, Lactic / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000367:Age Factors; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D018818:Fenoldopam / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D007558:Italy; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D061646:Operative Time; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D015415:Biomarkers; D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D019344:Lactic Acid; D018818:Fenoldopam
Blood lactate; Cardiopulmonary bypass; Fenoldopam mesylate; Hyperlactataemia; Paediatric cardiac surgery; Splanchnic perfusion