title: Intra-abdominal hypertension in postoperative cardiac surgery patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate screening variables identifying patients at risk of developing intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) after cardiac surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational study in a tertiary general intensive care unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and eight patients admitted to the ICU after cardiac surgery, with measurements of intraabdominal pressure (IAP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Routinely collected clinical, physiological and biochemical variables were analysed with at least twice-daily measurements of IAP during the postoperative stay in the ICU. Variables available within 24 hours of admission to the ICU were evaluated against the incidence of IAH using logistic regression analysis to develop a set of screening criteria to identify patients at risk.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty patients (46%) developed IAH during their stay in the ICU and were ventilated for longer, needed more vasopressors and stayed one more day in the ICU. Plasma albumin concentration, central venous pressure, minimal abdominal perfusion pressure, cardiopulmonary and aortic cross-clamp times and the presence of abdominal distension within the first 24 hours were associated with the occurrence of IAH. A logistic regression model using these variables correctly identified 85% of patients who developed IAH.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A set of screening criteria routinely available within the first 24 hours of admission to the ICU after cardiac surgery could correctly identify most patients at risk of IAH.
authors.affiliation: The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia. anders.aneman@swsahs.nsw.gov.au.
authors.forename: Dushyant
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Iyer
authors.affiliation: Liverpool Hospital, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: D'Amours
authors.affiliation: Liverpool Hospital, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aneman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D059325:Intra-Abdominal Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies