Assessment of postoperative risk factors for EEG abnormalities in routine clinical management after paediatric cardiopulmonary bypass.

OBJECTIVES: The postoperative risk factors for electroencephalogram(EEG) abnormalities after paediatric cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) remain to be identified. We investigated the characteristics of EEG abnormalities and risk factors in routine clinical management post-CPB. METHODS: EEG and cerebral oxygen saturation (ScO2) were monitored in 96 patients (aged 3 days, 37 months, median 5 months) for 72 h post-CPB. Clinical measurements included 4-hourly arterial and central venous pressure, arterial blood gases, doses of inotropic and vasoactive drugs, daily C-reactive protein (CRP) and NT-proB-type Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP). Demographics, STAT categories and outcomes (duration of mechanical ventilation,CICU stay) were recorded. Un. RESULTS: Seizures occurred in 20 patients (20.8%) beginning at 0-48 hand lasting 10 min-31 h; background abnormalities occurred in 67 (69.8%) beginning at 0-8 h and lasting 4-48 h. Patients with EEG abnormalities had worse outcomes. In univariable regression, seizures positively correlated with STAT categories, CPB time, temperature, blood pressure, central venous pressure, NT-proBNP, CRP, lactate and epinephrine, negatively with ScO2 and PaCO2 (P < 0.001 for lactate and epinephrine, P < 0.1 for the remaining). The degree of background abnormalities positively correlated with STAT categories, CPB time, operative time, central venous pressure, milrinone, negatively with blood pressure (P = 0.0003-0.087); it negatively correlated with lower dose of epinephrine (P < 0.001) and positively with higher dose (P = 0.03l). In multivariable regression, seizures positively correlated with epinephrine, lactate and temperature; the background abnormality correlations remain significant except for milrinone and operative time (P < 0.001 for epinephrine, P < 0.05 for the remaining). CONCLUSIONS: Numerous perioperative risk factors are associated with EEG abnormalities post-CPB. The most significant and consistent risk factor is epinephrine.

Assessment of Energy and Protein Requirements in Relation to Nitrogen Kinetics, Nutrition, and Clinical Outcomes in Infants Receiving Early Enteral Nutrition Following Cardiopulmonary Bypass.

BACKGROUND: Nutrition therapies in children with congenital heart disease (CHD) after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is crucial, but energy and protein requirements remain undefined. We assessed energy and protein requirements, with nitrogen kinetics and clinical outcomes, in infants with complex CHD following CPB. METHODS: Infants were randomized to control (1.3 g/kg/d), moderate protein (MP, 2.5 g/kg/d), or high protein (HP, 4 g/kg/d) groups. Resting energy expenditure (REE) was measured 6 hours post-CPB and then at 24-hour intervals, using indirect calorimetry to formulate energy intakes. Enteral formula feeding was initiated 6 hours post-CPB and continued for 5 days. Nitrogen balance (NB); urea nitrogen waste and nitrogen retention; serum prealbumin level; and hepatic, renal, and cardiac function were measured daily. Mid-upper arm circumference and triceps skinfold were measured preoperatively and 5 days after CPB. Adverse outcomes (bacterial infection, reintubation, and cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) stay > 8 days) were recorded. RESULTS: REE was not different across the 3 groups (P = .37). It declined from 62 ± 6 to 57 ± 7 kcal/kg/d over 5 days post-CPB (P = .02). NB and nitrogen retention became positive by day 3 in the HP group but remained negative in the other 2 groups (P = .045-.003), despite higher urea nitrogen waste in the HP group (P < .0001). The HP group had a greater increase in serum prealbumin level and anthropometric measures (P = .009-.03). Other measures were not significantly different across the 3 groups. CONCLUSIONS: In infants with complex CHD in the first 5 days post-CPB, protein and energy intakes of ≈4 g/kg/d and 60 kcal/kg/d, respectively, led to improved nutrition outcomes without increased adverse events.

Energy and Protein Requirements in Children Undergoing Cardiopulmonary Bypass Surgery: Current Problems and Future Direction.

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is 1 of the most common congenital malformations, and considerable numbers of infants and young children with CHD undergo cardiopulmonary bypass surgery. It has been increasingly realized that perioperative nutrition support plays an important role in improving clinical outcomes. The purpose of this review, by searching PubMed, was to examine the nutrition conditions in perioperative children with CHD and the main problems in nutrition management in the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU), based on which future directions were proposed. We found that preoperative poor nutrition status is common. This limited reserve of energy and protein is further compounded by the complex metabolic alterations with hypermetabolism, hypercatabolism, and hypoanabolism in the early postoperative course. Knowledge about energy and protein metabolism and requirements in children after cardiopulmonary bypass remains very limited. The current nutrition recommendations in the CICU are based on little evidence. Insufficient energy and protein supply to meet demands remains a norm in the immediate postoperative period. The commonly used predictive equations do not provide accurate estimate of energy requirement in individual patients during the highly dynamic postoperative course. Indirect calorimetry can provide the best estimate of energy requirements for children with CHD in the CICU. Measurement of nitrogen balance is the recommended method to determine the minimal protein requirement. During the early postoperative period, daily measurements of resting energy expenditure using indirect calorimetry and nitrogen balance in each individual child are essential to optimize energy and protein supply to meet requirements.

[Preliminary study on the safety and pharmacodynamic action of low dose L-asparaginase].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the safety and therapeutic effect of low dose (1000 U/m(2)) L-asparaginase (L-Asp) in the treatment of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). METHODS: Six patients were treated with low dose L-Asp after previously suffered severe side effects from standard dose L-Asp (5000 - 10,000 U/m(2)). Twenty-eight blood samples were obtained randomly from 5 of them. Plasma asparagine concentration was detected by reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). RESULTS: All the patients treated with low dose L-Asp showed no any toxic symptoms. The plasma asparagine levels in the patients were all above 5 micromol/L except case 4 (4.91 micromol/L) before receiving L-Asp, and were all decreased below 0.5 micromol/L five days after receiving low dose L-Asp, except case 3 (3.70 micromol/L), the results being like that of receiving standard dose L-Asp. CONCLUSION: Low dose L-Asp has definite efficacy for childhood ALL, while avoids serious side effects from standard dose L-Asp.

[Research on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of L-asparaginase during its treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes in the activity of Escherichia coli asparaginase (L-asp) and the concentration of asparagines (ASN) in the plasma of the acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) children receiving L-asp containing chemotherapeutic protocol to explore more reasonable usage of L-asp in the treatment of childhood ALL. METHODS: L-asp containing hemotherapy regimen of VDLP was used, in which L-asp (10,000 U/m(2)) was administered intravenously every other day for 10 doses in 15 children with ALL. A total of 340 peripheral blood samples were collected at scheduled time points during the therapy and plasma L-asp activity (by spectrophotometric assay) and asparagines concentration (by RP-HPLC) were measured. RESULTS: During the administration of L-asp, the plasma L-asp activity was increasing gradually peaked after eight doses and then decreased gradually, while the plasma concentration of asparagines maintained in complete or nearly complete depletion status. After the therapy courses finished, a plasma L-asp activity above 100 U/L with asparagines almost complete depletion status was lasting for about seven days. CONCLUSION: The current L-asp containing chemotherapeutic protocols in which L-asp was administered in a dose of 10 000/m(2) intravenously every other day, are efficient enough for the depletion of plasma ASN.