• Felix Hennig, Alexander V Stepanenko, Hans B Lehmkuhl, Marian Kukucka, Michael Dandel, Thomas Krabatsch, Roland Hetzer, and Evgenij V Potapov.
• Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, Berlin 13353, Germany. fhennig@dhzb.de
• Gen Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2011 Jan 1;59(1):19-24.

PurposeImplantation of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is an established treatment for end-stage heart failure. Right ventricular dysfunction develops in 20%-50% of patients after device implantation, leading to prolonged hospital stays and elevated mortality rates. However, prediction of right ventricular failure remains difficult.MethodsA total of 40 patients who received an LVAD for chronic end-stage heart failure between May 2001 and December 2002 were evaluated. The patients were divided retrospectively into two groups: group I (n = 26), with no apparent postoperative right ventricular failure; and group II (n = 14), with right ventricular failure after implantation defined by the presence of two of the following criteria during the first week after surgery: mean arterial pressure ≤ 55 mmHg, central venous pressure ≥ 16 mmHg, mixed venous saturation ≤ 55%, cardiac index <2 l/min/m(2), inotropic support score >20 units or an apparent need for mechanical right ventricular support. Hemodynamic, echocardiographic, neurohumoral, and inflammatory parameters were evaluated 24 h before implantation of the LVAD.ResultsLevels of procalcitonin, neopterin, n-terminalpro-brain natriuretic peptide, and big endothelin-1 were significantly lower in group I: 0.106 vs. 0.322 ng/ml, P = 0.048; 10.5 vs. 20.7 ng/ml, P = 0.018; 6322 vs. 17174 pg/ml, P = 0.032; 1.6 vs. 19.5 pg/ml, P = 0.02, respectively. Levels of creatinine kinase and creatinine were significantly lower in group I than in group II: 24 vs. 40 U/l, P = 0.034; 1.3 vs. 2.3 mg/dl, P = 0.008, respectively.ConclusionPreoperative evaluation of markers of inflammation and neurohumoral activation may provide additional information for predicting right ventricular failure after implantation of an LVAD.

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