Absence of beneficial effect of acute normovolemic hemodilution combined with aprotinin on allogeneic blood transfusion requirements in cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND The efficacy of acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH) in decreasing allogeneic blood requirements remains controversial during cardiac surgery. METHODS In a prospective, randomized study, 80 adult cardiac surgical patients with normal cardiac function and no high risk of ischemic complications were subjected either to ANH, from a mean hematocrit of 43% to 28%, or to a control group. Aprotinin and intraoperative blood cell salvage were used in both groups. Blood (autologous or allogeneic) was transfused when the hematocrit was less than 17% during cardiopulmonary bypass, less than 25% after cardiopulmonary bypass, or whenever clinically indicated. RESULTS The amount of whole blood collected during ANH ranged from 10 to 40% of the patients' estimated blood volume. Intraoperative and postoperative blood losses were not different between control and ANH patients (total blood loss, control: 1,411 +/- 570 ml, n = 41; ANH: 1,326 +/- 509 ml, n = 36). Allogeneic blood was given in 29% of control patients (median, 2; range, 1-3 units of packed erythrocytes) and in 33% of ANH patients (median, 2; range, 1-5 units of packed erythrocytes; P = 0.219). Preoperative and postoperative platelet count, prothrombin time, and partial thromboplastin time were similar between groups. Perioperative morbidity and mortality were not different in both groups, and similar hematocrit values were observed at hospital discharge (33.7 +/- 3.9% in the control group and 32.6 +/- 3.7% in the ANH group; nonsignificant) CONCLUSIONS Hemodilution is not an effective means to lower the risk of allogeneic blood transfusion in elective cardiac surgical patients with normal cardiac function and in the absence of high risk for coronary ischemia, provided standard intraoperative cell saving and high-dose aprotinin are used.