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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2005;27:599-605
© 2005 Elsevier Science NL
a Department of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands
b Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands
c Department of Anaesthesiology, Leiden University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands
Received 3 June 2004; received in revised form 27 October 2004; accepted 24 November 2004.
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +31 71 526 2020; fax: +31 71 526 6809. (E-mail: p.steendijk{at}lumc.nl).
| Abstract |
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) significantly decreased (61±3 to 49±2ms, P=0.004). Before CPB, incremental atrial pacing had no significant effects on EES and
but significant negative effects on kED (0.014±0.005 to 0.045±0.012ml1, P=0.013). After CPB, atrial pacing had significant positive effects on EES,
and kED (EES: 1.12±0.28 to 2.60±1.54mmHg/ml, P=0.021;
: 49±2 to 45±2ms, P=0.009; kED: 0.040±0.007 to 0.026±0.005mmHg, P=0.010), indicating improved systolic and diastolic chronotropic responses. Conclusion: On-pump normothermic CABG with IAWBC preserved systolic function, increased diastolic stiffness, and improved systolic and diastolic chronotropic responses. Normalization of the chronotropic responses post-CPB is likely due to effects of successful revascularization and subsequent relief of ischemia.
Key Words: CABG Cardioplegia Chronotropic response Left ventricular function Pressure-volume relations
| 1. Introduction |
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| 2. Materials and methods |
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2.2. Anaesthesia
Patients received premedication (2mg Lorazepam, sublingual) 2h before surgery. All patients received total intravenous anaesthesia with target-controlled infusion of propofol, remifentanyl and sufentanyl. Pancuronium bromide 0.1mg/kg was given to facilitate intubation. No further muscle relaxation was used. To monitor cardiac function and facilitate positioning of the conductance catheter a transesophageal multiplane echo (TEE) probe was inserted after induction of anaesthesia. Subsequently, a thermal filament catheter was placed in the pulmonary artery via the right internal jugular vein for semi-continuous cardiac output stat measurements (Edwards Lifesciences, Uden, The Netherlands). The patients were ventilated with an oxygen/air mixture (FiO2=40%) at a ventilatory rate of 1215/min and ventilatory volume was adjusted to maintain arterial CO2 tension between 3.5 and 4kPa.
2.3. Cardiopulmonary bypass and cardioplegic arrest
The cardiopulmonary bypass system consisted of a centrifugal pump (Stockert SIII, Stockert instrumente GmbH, Munchen, Germany), a closed venous reservoir, a Trillium coated Affinity hollow fiber oxygenator (Medtronic Cardiac Surgery, Kerkrade, The Netherlands), a cardiotomy reservoir, and an arterial filter (Dideco, Mirandola Italy). The systems were primed with 1300ml Ringer solution, 200ml 20% Human albumin Cealb®solution (Sanquin, Amsterdam, The Netherlands), 100ml 20% Mannitol and 5000IU of heparin. CPB was performed with a nonpulsatile flow of 2.4l/min/m2 and the core temperature was maintained at 35°C. Heparin (300IU/kg) was administered before cannulation. Additional heparin was administered if the activating clotting time (ACT, Hemochron, Edison, USA) was less than 400s. After cessation of CPB protamine sulfate was administered (1mg/100IU heparin). All patients received intermittent antegrade warm blood cardioplegia as described by Calafiore et al. [6]. Normothermic blood (temperature 3537°C) was collected from the oxygenator and was infused into the aortic root using a roller pump with a mean flow of 280ml/min. The tubing was connected to a syringe pump containing potassium in a concentration of 2mmol/ml. The first dose (2min duration, or longer if necessary to obtain a flat ECG) was given immediately after aorta cross-clamping and subsequent doses (2min duration) after construction of each distal anastomosis or after approximately 15min. During the first dose an initial 2ml bolus of potassium solution was given and subsequently the syringe pump was set to 150ml/h. During the second dose the syringe pump speed was set to 120ml/h, and to 60ml/h during all subsequent doses. Consequently, 14mmol potassium was given during the first infusion, 8mmol during the second, and 4mmol in all subsequent infusions. Our cardioplegia delivery protocol is summarized in Table 1.
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) derived from thermodilution and parallel conductance correction volume (Vc) determined by hypertonic saline injections [11,12]. Continuous left ventricular pressure and volume signals derived from the conductance catheter were displayed and acquired at a 250Hz sampling rate using a Leycom CFL (CD Leycom, Zoetermeer, The Netherlands). Data were acquired during steady state and during temporary caval vein occlusion, all with the ventilator turned off at end-expiration. Acquisition was repeated at atrial pacing rates (80, 100 and 120beats/min). From these signals hemodynamic indices were derived as described below.
2.5. Pressure-volume analysis
Post-process data analysis was performed by custom-made software. Indices of global, systolic and diastolic left ventricular function (heart rate, cardiac output, stroke volume, stroke work, ejection fraction, dP/dtMAX, dP/dtMIN, end-diastolic volume, end-systolic volume, end-diastolic pressure, end-systolic pressure, relaxation time constant
) were calculated from steady state pressure-volume loops at 80, 100 and 120beats/min. Systolic and diastolic pressure-volume relations were derived from pressure-volume loops acquired during caval vein occlusion at heart rates of 80, 100 and 120beats/min. The slope of the end-systolic pressure-volume relationship (end-systolic elastance, EES) was used as relatively load-independent index of systolic left ventricular contractility [13]. Exponential regression of the end-diastolic pressure-volume relationship was used to determine the stiffness constant kED as a measure of diastolic chamber stiffness [14].
2.6. Ischemic markers
We evaluated post-operative troponin T levels at regular intervals up to 48h (1, 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48h). Twelve-lead electrocardiographic recordings before and after CPB were routinely performed and assessed by the cardiologist for signs of myocardial infarction. Peri- and postoperative myocardial ischemia or infarction was defined as serum troponin T levels above 1µg/l, ECG changes suspective for myocardial infarction, and new echocardiographic regional left ventricular wall motion abnormalities.
2.7. Statistical analysis
The pre- and post-CPB data were compared with paired t-tests and we used a multiple linear regression implementation of repeated measures analysis of variance [15] to analyze the effects of chronotropic stimulation pre-CPB and post-CPB, respectively. Data are presented as mean±SEM. A P-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
| 3. Results |
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Weaning from CPB was uneventful: four patients received low dosages of dobutamine post-CPB (
5µg/kg/min). There were no perioperative myocardial infarctions. Troponin-T concentrations remained below the diagnostic criteria in all patients 48h postoperatively (Fig. 1). The hospital stay was uncomplicated in all patients except in one patient who developed mediastinitis and stayed in the hospital for 35 days. The mean length of hospital stay was 11 days (range 635 days, median 8 days). The mean length of stay in the intensive care unit was 1.9 days (range 13, median 2 days).
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decreased significantly. End-systolic elastance (EES) remained unchanged after CPB.
3.3. Effects of pacing
Hemodynamic data pre- and post-CPB at 80, 100, and 120beats/min are given in Table 2 and Fig. 3. Note that post-CPB the mean baseline heart rate was 86±4beats/min because in some patients sinus rhythm exceeded the target pacing rate of 80beats/min. Cardiac output increased with incremental pacing post-CPB, while pre-CPB pacing did not affect cardiac output. Stroke volume decreased both before and after CPB with pacing, but this decrease was less pronounced after CPB (24ml pre-CPB vs 14ml post-CPB). The smaller reduction in stroke volume with pacing post-CPB was the result of a less pronounced reduction in end-diastolic volume (pre-CPB: 33ml; post-CPB: 15ml), since end-systolic volume decreased by 11ml pre-CPB and by 6ml post-CPB. Apparently, the capability of the ventricle to fill despite a high heart rate is relatively improved post-CPB. This is supported by the results for the diastolic indices. Active relaxation,
, improved during pacing post-CPB, while it remained unchanged during pacing pre-CPB. Furthermore, the end-diastolic chamber stiffness constant increased significantly during pacing pre-CPB, whereas it decreased during pacing post-CPB. It should be mentioned that baseline diastolic stiffness (i.e. at 80beats/min) was higher post-CPB as compared to pre-CPB, but with pacing at 120beat/min the post-CPB values dropped below the pre-CPB values.
During pacing end-diastolic pressure remained constant pre-CPB, which is the result of a reduced end-diastolic volume (which should lower end-diastolic pressure) combined with an increased diastolic stiffness (which increases end-diastolic pressure). However, post-CPB end-diastolic pressure gradually dropped with incremental pacing, since both end-diastolic volume and stiffness decreased.
With regard to systolic function, pre-CPB ejection fraction decreased significantly at 120beats/min, whereas it was unchanged post-CPB. dP/dtMAX was unchanged both before and after CPB. Furthermore, no systematic effects were seen on EES during pacing pre-CPB, but post-CPB EES increased significantly at 120beats/min indicating an improvement in systolic function (Fig. 3).
| 4. Discussion |
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4.1. Baseline hemodynamic changes
The baseline hemodynamic results (i.e. comparing pre- vs post-CPB at 80beats/min) show a slight but significant increase of ejection fraction after CPB, which is due to a marked decrease in end-diastolic volume (39ml) with a relatively unchanged stroke volume. Stroke volume remained largely unchanged due to a similar decrease of end-systolic volume (30ml) after CPB. Note that, except for ejection fraction, none of these volumetric changes reached statistical significance. The effect on EDV is the result of impairment of late passive diastolic function (kED and EDP increased significantly after CPB), despite the fact that active relaxation (
) significantly improved after CPB. The improved ejection fraction and the finding of a reduced end-systolic volume with maintained end-systolic pressure both point towards an improved systolic function. However, the load-independent contractility index EES did not change significantly. Therefore, we would conclude that normothermic CPB with IAWBC at least preserves systolic function in this patient group. This is in contrast with studies using cold blood cardioplegia during hypothermia in which a reduced systolic left ventricular function after CPB was reported [1]. Direct effects of temperature on LV function have been studied by Lewis et al. which show that end-systolic elastance is significantly reduced when bypass temperature is lowered to 31 degrees [16].
With respect to diastolic function we found a somewhat prolonged
at baseline pre-CPB, which has already been shown to be representative for patients with coronary artery disease [17,18]. In our study
decreased significantly after CPB with warm blood cardioplegia indicating an improved early, active relaxation. This normalization of
after revascularization is consistent with previous studies regardless of the use of cold or warm blood cardioplegia and is most likely related to enhancement of the, highly oxygen-dependent, calcium re-uptake process by the sarcoplasmic reticulum after revascularization [19]. However, after CPB increased circulating catecholamines resulting from CPB and ischemia may influence active relaxation. However, the unchanged systolic pressure and heart rate after CPB indicate that this effect is unlikely to be very prominent in our study. In contrast to the improvement in
, the diastolic chamber stiffness constant, which represents passive late diastolic function, was significantly increased post-CPB. This increased stiffness (thus reduced diastolic compliance) is likely due to temporary myocardial edema and increased water content after CPB [20,21]. This finding is important when interpreting changes in diastolic function after surgical interventions such as ventricular restoration [22] and other procedures. Apparently, parts of the changes in diastolic function, at least in the acute phase, are related to the cardioplegic arrest and CPB, and should not be attributed to the surgical procedure per se.
4.2. Chronotropic responses
We found a significant improvement of cardiac output during incremental atrial pacing post-CPB, whereas cardiac output remained constant pre-CPB. This effect reflected a more pronounced decrease in stroke volume with pacing pre-CPB, compared to post-CPB. In normal physiology maintained stroke volume (or a limited reduction) during increased heart rate is obtained by a combination of increased systolic function (Bowditch effect), which reduces or maintains end-systolic volume, and an improved relaxation, which limits the reduction in end-diastolic volume resulting from the reduced diastolic filling time. Our results indicate that neither of these mechanisms is operative in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) pre-CPB and consequently cardiac output did not increase during incremental pacing. Moreover, diastolic stiffness substantially increased during pacing which further limited filling. The finding that systolic function does not improve or even decreases with increased heart rate in CAD patients is consistent with previous studies [23]. A recent echocardiographic study in patients undergoing CABG [24] indicates an increased diastolic stiffness during pacing very similar to our findings. Numerous studies have documented increased diastolic pressure, increased stiffness and upward shifts of the diastolic pressure-volume relation with pacing angina [25], however our study shows that more subtle increases in diastolic stiffness are obtained with a relatively small increase in heart rate in CAD patients with relatively preserved ejection fraction.
After CPB, diastolic chamber stiffness, end-diastolic pressure and
all significantly decreased during pacing, which may explain the improvement of cardiac output at higher heart rates. In addition, EES gradually increased with incremental pacing post-CPB, whereas it remained constant pre-CPB, indicating that improvement in systolic function contributed to the increase in cardiac output.
The effects of pacing pre- vs post-CPB in our study largely mimic the effects of exercise before and after revascularization surgery as described in a study by Caroll et al. [26]. After surgery, but not before, both pacing and exercise induced improvements in systolic and diastolic function, which enable the required increase in cardiac output. However, during exercise, end-diastolic pressure and volume increased whereas during pacing in our study these indices decreased. These differences are presumably due to recruitment of blood volume during exercise leading to increased preload, which does not occur during pacing.
The impaired chronotropic responses pre-CPB as found in our study are presumably due to coronary artery disease and the normalization of these responses post-CPB due to effects of successful revascularization and subsequent relief of ischemia.
4.3. Limitations
The number of patients included in this study is relatively small, but we attempted to compensate this limitation by a sophisticated and detailed analysis of left ventricular function in each patient. In addition, by performing measurements pre- and post CPB, each patient serves as its own control, which is statistically highly advantageous. A second limitation is the lack of a control group with a cold cardioplegic approach. Warm blood cardioplegia is strongly preferred for most procedures at our institution and therefore a randomized design with a control group was not feasible. However, the approach with cold cardioplegia is well documented in the literature and we compared our results against those reports. Furthermore, our study was performed in patients with relatively normal LV function, whereas the advantages of IAWBC are presumably most important for patients with poor LV function. However, in heart failure patients the effects of IAWBC would be difficult to assess separately because the surgical interventions (CABG and additional procedures like mitral annuloplasty and/or surgical restoration) may importantly affect post-operative LV function.
In our study combined antegrade and retrograde cardioplegia was not used because this approach is not considered to have important advantages (with warm blood cardioplegia) [20] and is technically more complex resulting in longer procedure times. However, there may be patient subgroups in which the combined approach could be advantageous (e.g. patients with evolving ischemia after a coronary dissection, or patients with obvious ischemia before induction of anaesthesia).
In conclusion, this study shows that intermittent antegrade warm blood cardioplegia during normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass provides excellent myocardial protection of systolic properties, whereas improved diastolic and systolic left ventricular chronotropic responses are likely due to the effects of successful revascularization and subsequent relief of ischemia. This cardioprotective strategy may be particularly advantageous in patients with heart failure, who undergo complex surgical procedures with long procedure times.
| Footnotes |
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This study was supported by a grant from the Netherlands Heart Foundation (NHS 2002B133). | References |
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