Background: Children having open heart surgery to repair congenital heart defects demonstrate a large inflammatory response to the heart-lung machine and to surgery itself. In general, the more intense their inflammatory response, the more critically ill they are following surgery. These children routinely require large numbers of blood transfusions during and following surgery as part of their medical management that adds to their heightened inflammatory state. Whether additional steps to "wash" blood products and remove the substances contributing to post-transfusion inflammation will limit this response, and improve the health of children following open heart surgery, remains to be studied. Aims: To compare the inflammatory response in children having open heart surgery who receive washed versus unwashed blood transfusions. Methods: We will randomly assign children having open heart surgery to one of two groups: group 1 will receive blood transfusions per the current standard of care, group 2 will receive blood transfusions that have been washed in addition to the current standard of care. We will then use blood tests to measure the inflammatory response in children of each group. We will compare the results to determine whether washing blood transfusions decreases inflammation and post-operative complications following open heart surgery. Conclusion: We believe that washing blood transfusions given to children following open heart surgery will decrease their inflammatory response and improve their overall health.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
162
standard vs washed blood cell transfusions
washed leukoreduced irradiated blood cell transfusions
12 Hour Plasma Interleukin (IL)-6 to IL-10 Ratio
plasma was obtained pre-op, immediately once off cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), six hours following CPB and 12 hours following CPB. The plasma was centrifuged and the supernatant collected and stored at -70 degrees. The samples then underwent Luminex testing for IL-6 and IL-10 levels, and the IL-6:IL-10 ratio was calculated (IL-6 being the numerator and IL-12 being the denominator). The 12 hour ratio was the primary outcome measure.
Time frame: 12 hours post-cardiopulmonary bypass
Median wrCRP Level
wide range C reactive protein levels were obtained before surgery (pre-operatively) and on post-operative day 1 and 2 in transfused subjects
Time frame: post op day 1 and 2
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