Fenoldopam for renal protection in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the possible protective effects of fenoldopam on renal function in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass.

DESIGN

Prospective, randomized trial.

SETTING

University teaching hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

One hundred sixty consecutive patients with serum creatinine >1.5 mg/dL who underwent uncomplicated moderate hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass for cardiac surgery.

INTERVENTIONS: A random group of 80 patients was managed conventionally (group A), whereas another random group of 80 patients received continuous intravenous administration of low-dose fenoldopam (0.1-0.3 microg/kg/min) during cardiopulmonary bypass and in the early postoperative period (group B).

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN

RESULTS

An improvement of postoperative renal parameters were observed only in group B: preoperative serum creatinine 1.82 +/- 0.2 versus 1.43 +/- 0.73 postoperatively (p < 0.001), preoperative creatinine clearance 51.34 +/- 22.26 versus 67.14 +/- 18.55 postoperatively (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, fenoldopam was an effective agent in the prevention of renal dysfunction after cardiopulmonary bypass.