Mannitol and dopamine in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass: a randomized clinical trial

In this prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded study, we determined the effects of two commonly used adjuncts, mannitol and dopamine, on beta(2)-microglobulin (beta(2)M) excretion rates in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). beta(2)M excretion rate has been described as a sensitive marker of proximal renal tubular function. One-hundred patients with a preoperative serum creatinine level

In many clinical settings, an increased beta-2-microglobulin (beta(2)M) excretion rate indicates renal tubular injury. In this cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) study, a dopamine infusion (alone or with mannitol) resulted in an increased beta(2)M excretion rate. It is unclear whether this dopamine-related increase implies renal injury after CPB, and further investigations are required to examine the mechanism/clinical relevance of this observation.