Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the influence of intraoperative cytokine adsorption on the perioperative vasoplegia, inflammatory response and outcome during orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT).Methods: Eighty‐four OHT patients were separated into the cytokine adsorption (CA)‐treated group or controls. Vasopressor demand, inflammatory response described by procalcitonin and C‐reactive protein, and postoperative outcome were assessed performing propensity score matching.Results: In the 16 matched pairs, the median noradrenaline requirement was significantly less in the CA‐treated patients than in the controls on the first and second postoperative days (0.14 vs 0.3 μg*kg⁻¹*min⁻¹, P = .039 and 0.06 vs 0.32 μg*kg⁻¹*min⁻¹, P = .047). The inflammatory responses were similar in the two groups. There was a trend toward shorter length of mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit (ICU) stay in the CA‐treated group compared to the controls. No difference in adverse events was observed between the two groups. However, the frequency of renal replacement therapy was significantly less in the CA‐treated patients than in the controls (P = .031).Conclusions: Intraoperative CA treatment was associated with reduced vasopressor demand and less frequent renal replacement therapy with a favorable tendency in length of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay. CA treatment was not linked to higher rates of adverse events.

Aims The PREPARE‐MVR study (PRediction of Early PostoperAtive Right vEntricular failure in Mitral Valve repair (MVR) and to explore the associations between/Repair patients) sought to investigate the alterations of right ventricular (RV) contraction pattern in patients undergoing mitral valve replacement/repair (MVR) and to explore the associations between pre‐operative RV mechanics and early post‐operative RV dysfunction (RVD). Methods and results We prospectively enrolled 42 patients (63 ± 11 years, 69% men) undergoing open‐heart MVR. Transthoracic three‐dimensional (3D) echocardiography was performed pre‐operatively, at intensive care unit discharge, and 6 months after surgery. The 3D model of the RV was reconstructed, and RV ejection fraction (RVEF) was calculated. We decomposed the motion of the ventricle to compute longitudinal ejection fraction (LEF) and radial ejection fraction (REF). Pulmonary artery catheterization was performed to monitor RV stroke work index (RVSWi). RVEF was slightly decreased after MVR [52 (50–55) vs. 51 (46–54)%; P = 0.001], whereas RV contraction pattern changed notably. Before MVR, the longitudinal shortening was the main contributor to global systolic RV function [LEF/RVEF vs. REF/RVEF; 0.53 (0.47–0.58) vs. 0.33 (0.22–0.42); P < 0.001]. Post‐operatively, the radial motion became dominant [0.33 (0.28–0.43) vs. 0.46 (0.37–0.51); P = 0.004]. However, this shift was temporary as 6 months later the two components contributed equally to global RV function [0.44 (0.38–0.50) vs. 0.41 (0.36–0.49); P = 0.775]. Pre‐operative LEF was an independent predictor of post‐operative RVD defined as RVSWi < 300 mmHg⋅mL/m² [OR = 1.33 (95% CI: 1.08–1.77), P < 0.05]. Conclusions MVR induces a significant shift in the RV mechanical pattern. Advanced indices of RV mechanics are associated with invasively measured parameters of RV contractility and may predict post‐operative RVD.

The role of non-infective inflammatory response (IR) in the aetiology of postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is still controversial. The aim of this controlled, prospective observational study was to assess the possible relationship between the grade of IR, defined by procalcitonin (PCT) changes, and development of POCD related to cardiac surgery. Forty-two patients, who were ≥ 60 years of age and scheduled for elective cardiac surgery, were separated into the low inflammatory (LIR) and high inflammatory (HIR) response groups based on their PCT levels measured on the first postoperative day. A matched normative control group of 32 subjects was recruited from primary care practice. The PCT and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were monitored daily during the first five postoperative days. The cognitive function and mood state were preoperatively tested with a set of five neurocognitive tests and two mood inventories and at the seventh postoperative day. The Reliable Change Index modified for practice (RCIp) using data from normative controls was applied to determine the significant decline in test performance. The LIR (n = 20) and HIR (n = 22) groups differed significantly in the PCT (p < 0.001) but not in the CRP time courses. The incidence of POCD at the first postoperative week was 35.7% in the cohort. The LIR and HIR groups did not vary in the RCIp Z scores of neurocognitive tests and frequencies of POCD (7 vs 8 cases, respectively, p > 0.05). Additionally, there was no difference in the mood states, anxiety levels and perioperative parameters known to influence the development of POCD. In this study, the magnitude of the non-infective inflammatory response generated by on-pump cardiac surgery did not influence the development of POCD in the early postoperative period in elderly patients.

Aims: The aim of this trial was to compare the clinical effects of intraoperative haemoadsorption versus standard care in patients undergoing orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). Methods and results: In a randomized, controlled trial, OHT recipients were randomized to receive intraoperative haemoadsorption or standard care. Outcomes were vasoactive-inotropic score (VIS), frequency of vasoplegic syndrome (VS) in the first 24 h; post-operative change in procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels; intraoperative change in mycophenolic acid (MPA) concentration; frequency of post-operative organ dysfunction, major complications, adverse immunological events and length of in-hospital stay and 1-year survival. Sixty patients were randomized (haemoadsorption group N = 30, control group N = 25 plus 5 exclusions). Patients in the haemoadsorption group had a lower median VIS and rate of VS (VIS: 27.2 [14.6–47.7] vs. 41.9 [22.4–63.2], P = 0.046, and VS: 20.0% vs. 48.0%, P = 0.028, respectively), a 6.4-fold decrease in the odds of early VS (OR: 0.156, CI: 0.029–0.830, P = 0.029), lower PCT levels, shorter median mechanical ventilation (MV: 25 [19–68.8] hours vs. 65 [23–287] hours, P = 0.025, respectively) and intensive care unit stay (ICU stay: 8.5 [8.0–10.3] days vs. 12 [8.5–18.0] days, P = 0.022, respectively) than patients in the control group. Patients in the haemoadsorption versus control group experienced lower rates of acute kidney injury (AKI: 36.7% vs. 76.0%, P = 0.004, respectively), renal replacement therapy (RRT: 0% vs. 16.0%, P = 0.037, respectively) and lower median per cent change in bilirubin level (PCB: 2.5 [−24.6 to 71.1] % vs. 72.1 [11.2–191.4] %, P = 0.009, respectively) during the post-operative period. MPA concentrations measured at pre-defined time points were comparable in the haemoadsorption compared to control groups (MPA pre-cardiopulmonary bypass: 2.4 [1.15–3.60] μg/mL vs. 1.6 [1.20–3.20] μg/mL, P = 0.780, and MPA 120 min after cardiopulmonary bypass start: 1.1 [0.58–2.32] μg/mL vs. 0.9 [0.45–2.10] μg/mL, P = 0.786). The rates of cardiac allograft rejection, 30-day mortality and 1-year survival were similar between the groups. Conclusions: Intraoperative haemoadsorption was associated with better haemodynamic stability, mitigated PCT response, lower rates of post-operative AKI and RRT, more stable hepatic bilirubin excretion, and shorter durations of MV and ICU stay. Intraoperative haemoadsorption did not show any relevant adsorption effect on MPA. There was no increase in the frequency of early cardiac allograft rejection related to intraoperative haemoadsorption use.

Background: The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the impact of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA–ECMO) integrated hemoadsorption on the reversal of multiorgan and microcirculatory dysfunction, and early mortality of refractory cardiogenic shock patients. Methods: Propensity score–matched cohort study of 29 pairs of patients. Subjects received either VA–ECMO supplemented with hemoadsorption or standard VA–ECMO management. Results: There was a lower mean sequential organ failure assessment score (p = 0.04), lactate concentration (p = 0.015), P_(v–a)CO₂ gap (p < 0.001), vasoactive inotropic score (p = 0.007), and reduced delta C–reactive protein level (p = 0.005) in the hemoadsorption compared to control groups after 72 h. In–hospital mortality was similar to the predictions in the control group (62.1%) and was much lower than the predicted value in the hemoadsorption group (44.8%). There were less ECMO-associated bleeding complications in the hemoadsorption group compared to controls (p = 0.049). Overall, 90-day survival was better in the hemoadsorption group than in controls without statistical significance. Conclusion: VA–ECMO integrated hemoadsorption treatment was associated with accelerated recovery of multiorgan and microcirculatory dysfunction, mitigated inflammatory response, less bleeding complications, and lower risk for early mortality in comparison with controls.