The influence of mean arterial blood pressure during cardiopulmonary bypass on postoperative renal dysfunction in elderly patients.

The aim of the study was to find out if there is an optimal mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) for renal function in elderly patients during the early postoperative period. We analysed the data of 122 patients >70 years of age with normal preoperative renal function who had been subjected to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) procedures on CPB. Patients were divided into 3 groups, according to MABP during CPB: group MP (n=50) included patients whose MABP was maintained between 60-70 mmHg; group LP (n=36), the MABP was <60 mmHg; and group HP (n=36) where the MABP was >70 mmHg. The patients' clinical data were evaluated during the first three postoperative days. The rate of renal impairment (urine output <50ml/h) in the early postoperative period after cardiac surgery did not differ among the groups. Oliguria developed in 3 patients (6%) of the MP group, in 2 patients (5.6%) in the LP group and in 6 patients (16.7%) in the HP group (χ(2)=3.6, df=2, p=0.161). Evaluation of MABP on renal excretion showed that there was no difference in urine output among the groups. Serum creatinine levels at the end of the first postoperative day in groups MP, LP and HP were 102.7±20.1, 116.4±58.6 and 113.2±39.8 µmol/L, respectively (F=0.5, df=2, p=0.640). There were no significant differences among the groups at the end of the second and the third day either. Volume balance at the end of surgery and during the early postoperative period was similar in all groups. The need for diuretics did not differ among the groups. The length of postoperative hospital stay was not significantly different among the groups. Our study did not reveal any relationship between a MABP of 48-80 and postoperative renal dysfunction in elderly patients after CABG surgery.