Glucose-insulin-potassium Therapy Improves Lactic Acidosis in Liver Transplantation

Overview

Lactic acidosis is a common phenomenon occurring during orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), especially during the anhepatic and early postreperfusion phases. However, little drugs effectively decrease the degree of lactic acidosis when it happens. The aim of this study is to explore whether glucose-Insulin-Potassium(GIK) infusion can relieve metabolic acidosis and improve perioperative outcome in patients undergoing OLT.

Intraoperative metabolic acidosis begins soon after graft reperfusion and persists for several days. The current standard treatment for severe acidosis during OLT is NaHCO3, although it may compromise myocardial performance, exacerbate lactic acid accumulation and cause central nervous system demyelination. Surgical procedure is a primary source of endogenous lactic acid production, especially visceral ischemia originating from anhepatic stage. The present study thus hypothesized that GIK solution may improve metabolic acidosis in OLT patients through its unique effects of metabolic alleviation. Patients for orthotopic liver transplantation was enrolled and received either GIK or placebo. GIK or placebo infusion started after anesthesia induction. Intraoperative measures were mean arterial pressure, HR, arterial blood gases, lactate, glucose, Na, liver and renal function indexes. Outcome measures were time to tracheal extubation, intensive care unit, length of stay, complications, hospital length of stay, requirement for postoperative plasma transfusion, retransplantation, and perioperative mortality.

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Outcomes