Desmopressin as Treatment for Postoperative Bleeding After Cardiac Surgery
Status:
Terminated
Trial end date:
2012-02-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Some patients undergoing cardiac surgery develop excessive postoperative bleeding.
Cardiopulmonary bypass causes platelet dysfunction. Several studies have documented the
ability of desmopressin to reduce hemorrhage in a variety of congenital and acquired platelet
disorders. In this study the investigators will investigate wether desmopressin reduces
postoperative microvascular bleeding. The investigators will investigate wether desmopressin
reduces platelet activation as measured by plasma concentration of neutrophil activating
peptid 2 and by flow cytometry. The primary endpoint of the study will, however, be total
postoperative bleeding and need for transfusions of blood components after surgery. The need
for transfusions will be registered during the whole hospital stay. Patient with excessive
postoperative bleeding (more than 250 ml for one hour, or more than 150ml for two hours
during the first four hours) will be randomized into two groups and given either desmopressin
or placebo (0,9% sodium chloride) as an intravenous infusion. Blood samples for plasma
concentration measurements will be drawn before infusion of desmopressin/placebo, immediately
after the infusion and 20 hours postoperatively. Postoperative bleeding will be registered
for 16 hours. The need for any transfusions of blood products will be registered for the
whole hospital stay.