Does troponin-I measurement predict low cardiac output syndrome following cardiac surgery in children?
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether serum troponin I (TnI), measured 4 hours after surgery for congenital heart disease, is a predictor of myocardial dysfunction and low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS). DESIGN: Prospective, observational study. SETTING: Paediatric intensive care unit in a tertiary care academic children’s hospital, 1 June 2003 to 12 May 2004. PATIENTS: 99 consecutive eligible children who underwent a variety of surgical procedures for congenital heart disease, using cardiopulmonary bypass. All patients were cared for by a consistent perioperative care team. INTERVENTIONS: Measurement of TnI preoperatively, and at 0, 4, 8, 12, 24 and 36 hours after ICU admission. RESULTS: Patient demographics and outcome (as median and 25th-75th percentile) were as follows: age, 23.9 (4.6- 65.9) months; cardiopulmonary bypass time, 135 (98-178) minutes; aortic cross-clamp time, 65 (28-85) minutes; preoperative TnI level, 0.02 (0.01-0.03) ng/mL; 4 h TnI, 10.6 (3.0-23.4) ng/mL; highest 24 h Tn
