Oxidative stress markers are not associated with outcomes after pediatric heart surgery

Paulo H Manso1, Fabio Carmona, Felipe Dal-Pizzol

  • 1Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil. phmanso@uol.com.br

Paediatric Anaesthesia
|October 9, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Perioperative serum levels of oxidative stress markers, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and carbonyl moieties, were not associated with outcomes like low cardiac output syndrome or mortality in children undergoing heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Cardiovascular Surgery
  • Biomarkers
  • Oxidative Stress

Background:

  • Oxidative stress markers increase after heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).
  • These markers may contribute to ischemia-reperfusion injury.
  • Associations with myocardial dysfunction, low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS), and clinical outcomes remain unproven.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between perioperative serum oxidative stress markers (TBARS and carbonyl moieties) and outcomes in pediatric heart surgery patients.
  • To determine if these markers predict LCOS, mortality, or hospital length of stay.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 55 children undergoing heart surgery.
  • Comparison of pre-, intra-, and postoperative serum levels of TBARS and carbonyl moieties.
  • Analysis of associations with LCOS, cyanotic/acyanotic congenital heart disease (CHD), survival, and adjusted hospital length of stay (aLOS).

Main Results:

  • Serum TBARS and carbonyl moieties levels did not significantly change over time.
  • No significant differences in marker levels were found between patients with or without LCOS, cyanotic/acyanotic CHD, or survivors/nonsurvivors.
  • Peak TBARS levels correlated with peak tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) levels, but neither marker was independently associated with aLOS.

Conclusions:

  • Perioperative serum TBARS and carbonyl moieties are not associated with LCOS development in children after heart surgery.
  • These oxidative stress markers do not predict adjusted hospital length of stay or mortality in this population.
  • The role of these specific oxidative stress markers in pediatric cardiac surgery outcomes requires further investigation.
Abstract