Preoperative heart failure is not associated with impaired coagulation in paediatric cardiac surgery

Objective: The objectives of the present study were to determine whether there was any association between the grade of heart failure, as expressed by preoperative levels of brain natriuretic peptide and Ross score, and the preoperative coagulation status in patients with non-restrictive ventricular shunts and determine whether there were any postoperative disturbances of the coagulation system in these patients, as measured by thromboelastometry and standard laboratory analyses of coagulation. Design: Perioperative coagulation was analysed with laboratory-based coagulation tests and thromboelastometry before, 8 hours after, and 18 hours after cardiac surgery. In addition, brain natriuretic peptide was analysed before and 18 hours after surgery. Patients: 40 children less than 12 months old with non-restrictive congenital ventricular or atrio-ventricular shunts scheduled for elective repair of their heart defects. Results: All coagulation parameters measured were within normal ranges preoperatively. There was a significant correlation between brain natriuretic peptide and plasma fibrinogen concentration preoperatively. There was no statistically significant correlation between brain natriuretic peptide and INTEM-MCF, FIBTEM-MCF, plasma fibrinogen, activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, or platelet count at any other time point, either preoperatively or postoperatively. Postoperatively, fibrinogen plasma concentration and FIBTEM-MCF decreased significantly at 8 hours, followed by a large increase at 18 hours to higher levels than preoperatively. Conclusions: There was no evidence of children with non-restrictive shunts having coagulation abnormalities before cardiac surgery. Brain natriuretic peptide levels or Ross score did not correlate with coagulation parameters in any clinically significant way.