Norepinephrine and intestinal mucosal perfusion in vasodilatory shock after cardiac surgery

Patients with norepinephrine-dependent vasodilatory shock after cardiac surgery (n = 10) were compared with uncomplicated postcardiac surgery patients (n = 10) with respect to jejunal mucosal perfusion, gastric-arterial PCO2 gradient, and splanchnic oxygen demand/supply relationship. Furthermore, the effects of norepinephrine-induced variations in MAP on these variables were evaluated in vasodilatory shock. Norepinephrine infusion rate was randomly and sequentially titrated to target MAPs of 60, 75, and 90 mmHg (0.25 +/- 0.24, 0.37 +/- 0.21, and 0.55 +/- 0.39 microg/kg per minute, respectively). Data on jejunal mucosal perfusion, jejunal mucosal hematocrit, and red blood cell (RBC) velocity (laser Doppler flowmetry) as well as gastric-arterial PCO2 gradient (gastric tonometry) and splanchnic oxygen and lactate extraction (hepatic vein catheter) were obtained. Splanchnic oxygen extraction was 71 +/- 16% in the vasodilatory shock group and 41 +/- 9% in the control group (P < 0.001), whereas splanchnic lactate extraction did not differ between the two groups. Jejunal mucosal perfusion (61%; P < 0.001), RBC velocity (35%; P < 0.01), and gastric-arterial mucosal PCO2 gradient (150%; P < 0.001) were higher in the vasodilatory shock group compared with those of the control group. Jejunal mucosal perfusion, jejunal mucosal hematocrit, RBC velocity, gastric-arterial mucosal PCO2 gradient, splanchnic oxygen extraction, and splanchnic lactate extraction were not affected by increasing infusion rates of norepinephrine. In patients with norepinephrine-dependent vasodilatory shock after cardiac surgery, intestinal mucosal perfusion was higher, whereas splanchnic and gastric oxygen demand/supply relationships were impaired compared with postoperative controls, suggesting that intestinal mucosal perfusion is prioritized in vasodilatory shock. Increasing MAP from 60 to 90 mmHg with norepinephrine in clinical vasodilatory shock does not affect intestinal mucosal perfusion and gastric or global splanchnic oxygen demand/supply relationships.