Research

Preoperative prediction of pediatric patients with effusions and edema following cardiopulmonary bypass surgery by serological and routine laboratory data

József Bocsi¹, Jörg Hambsch², Pavel Osmancik³, Peter Schneider⁴, Günter Valet⁵ and Attila Tárnok⁶

¹Director, Flow Cytometry Unit, 1st Department of Pathology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary

²Assistant Medical Director, Pediatric Cardiology, Heart Center Leipzig GmbH, University of Leipzig, Germany

³Assistant Cardiologist, Cardiac Center, University Hospital Kralovske Vinohrady, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic

⁴Director, Pediatric Cardiology, Heart Center Leipzig GmbH, University of Leipzig, Germany

⁵Head, Cell Biochemistry Group, Max-Planck-Institute for Biochemistry, Martinsried, Munich, Germany

⁶Head, Research Facility, Pediatric Cardiology, Heart Center Leipzig GmbH, University of Leipzig, Germany

author email corresponding author email

Critical Care 2002, 6:226-233doi:10.1186/cc1494

Published:	8 April 2002

Abstract

Aim

Postoperative effusions and edema and capillary leak syndrome in children after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass constitute considerable clinical problems. Overshooting immune response is held to be the cause. In a prospective study we investigated whether preoperative immune status differences exist in patients at risk for postsurgical effusions and edema, and to what extent these differences permit prediction of the postoperative outcome.

Method

One-day preoperative serum levels of immunoglobulins, complement, cytokines and chemokines, soluble adhesion molecules and receptors as well as clinical chemistry parameters such as differential counts, creatinine, blood coagulation status (altogether 56 parameters) were analyzed in peripheral blood samples of 75 children (aged 3–18 years) undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass surgery (29 with postoperative effusions and edema within the first postoperative week).

Results

Preoperative elevation of the serum level of C3 and C5 complement components, tumor necrosis factor-α, percentage of leukocytes that are neutrophils, body weight and decreased percentage of lymphocytes (all P < 0.03) occurred in children developing postoperative effusions and edema. While single parameters did not predict individual outcome, >86% of the patients with postoperative effusions and oedema were correctly predicted using two different classification algorithms. Data mining by both methods selected nine partially overlapping parameters. The prediction quality was independent of the congenital heart defect.

Conclusion

Indicators of inflammation were selected as risk indicators by explorative data analysis. This suggests that preoperative differences in the immune system and capillary permeability status exist in patients at risk for postoperative effusions. These differences are suitable for preoperative risk assessment and may be used for the benefit of the patient and to improve cost effectiveness.