Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery (Oct 2022)

The effect of cardiopulmonary bypass on blood thiamine concentration and its association with post-operative lactate concentration

  • Andrea L. Odelli,
  • Adam Holyoak,
  • Sumit Yadav,
  • Sarah M. Page,
  • Daniel Lindsay

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13019-022-02016-0
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 17, no. 1
pp. 1 – 8

Abstract

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Abstract Objective Cardiothoracic surgery is a large field in Australia, and evidence suggests post-cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) hyperlactataemia is associated with higher morbidity and mortality. Low thiamine levels are a potentially common yet treatable cause of hyperlactataemia and may occur in the setting of exposure to CPB non-biological material. We hypothesized that cardiopulmonary bypass would result in decreased whole-blood thiamine levels, which may therefore result in increased whole-blood lactate levels in the post-operative period. Methods Adult patients undergoing non-emergent CPB were recruited in a single centre, prospective, analytic observational study at Townsville University Hospital, Australia. The primary outcome was a comparison of pre- and post-CPB thiamine diphosphate level, secondarily aiming to assess any relationship between lactate and thiamine levels. Prospective pre- and post-CPB blood samples were taken and analysed at a central reference laboratory. Results Data was available for analysis on 78 patients. There was a statistically significant increase in thiamine diphosphate level from pre-CPB: 1.36 nmol/g Hb, standard deviation (SD) 0.31, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.29–1.43, to post-CPB: 1.77 nmol/g Hb, SD 0.53, 95% CI 1.43–1.88, p value 0.05) trend in rising whole-blood lactate levels with increasing time. Analysis of lactate levels at varying time periods found a significant difference between baseline measurements and increased levels at 13–16 h (p < 0.05). There was no significant relationship observed between whole-blood thiamine levels and post-operative lactate levels. Conclusion Whole-blood thiamine levels were found to increase immediately post-CPB in those undergoing elective cardiac surgery. There was no correlation between whole-blood thiamine levels and post-operative arterial lactate levels.

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