Low-Dose Versus High-Dose Tranexamic Acid Reduces the Risk of Nonischemic Seizures After Cardiac Surgery With Cardiopulmonary Bypass.

OBJECTIVE The incidence of postoperative nonischemic seizures associated with the use of tranexamic acid (TXA) and the possibility of prevention with a low-dose regimen of TXA were evaluated. DESIGN Retrospective study. SETTING Tertiary care university hospital. PARTICIPANTS A total of 12,195 patients who underwent cardiac surgical procedures under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) were evaluated. INTERVENTIONS The files of every clinical seizure case diagnosed in the surgical intensive care unit between April 2006 and April 2014 were reviewed. Patients who experienced a postoperative seizure underwent a cerebral computed tomography scan to exclude an ischemic lesion. Dosage and type of antifibrinolytic used and surgery characteristics were retrieved from perfusion files. Low-dose TXA was defined as 1,000-mg bolus, 400-mg/h infusion, and 500 mg in CPB priming. High-dose TXA was defined as 30-mg/kg bolus, 15 mg/kg/h, and 2 mg/kg in CPB priming. RESULTS No seizure was observed in the 886 patients who did not receive antifibrinolytics. A total of 98 clinical seizures (0.8%) were recorded in the intensive care unit, and ischemic cause was excluded in the majority of them after computed tomography scan results were reviewed (91 patients [93%]). Low-dose TXA was associated with fewer seizures than was high-dose TXA (46 of 7,452 cases [0.70%] v 34 of 2,190 cases [1.55%], respectively; p < 0.0001). Open-chamber cardiac surgery also was linked to a higher incidence of seizures compared with revascularization (80 of 6,662 [1.20%] and 11 of 5,533 [0.20%], respectively; p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Lower doses of TXA were associated with a lower incidence of nonischemic seizures compared with higher doses of the drug.