BackgroundRenal failure is a serious complication after cardiac surgery, which can be caused by long-term intravenous (IV) loop diuretic use. Tolvaptan is an oral selective vasopressin-2 receptor antagonist used in patients irresponsive to loop diuretics. We investigated their renal perfusion changes using the resistive index (RI) postoperatively.MethodsSerial renal RI, echocardiography, and laboratory examinations from 14 patients requiring continuous postoperative IV loop diuretics were reviewed. Eight patients received tolvaptan (Group T) and six received oral loop diuretics before the discontinuation of IV loop diuretics (Group L). The 1st data were obtained between postoperative day 0 and 2, the 2nd when patients were still under IV loop diuretic treatment, the 3rd after the initiation of tolvaptan or oral loop diuretic, and the 4th after the discontinuation of IV diuretics.ResultsThe 2nd RI value was higher in Group T than Group L (0.77 ± 0.09 vs. 0.69 ± 0.01, p = 0.049) but significantly decreased after tolvaptan administration [0.77 ± 0.09 to 0.65 ± 0.05 (2nd to 3rd), to 0.62 ± 0.04 (to 4th), both p = 0.006], while no such changes were seen in Group L. The serum sodium and albumin levels, and echo-derived tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion increased only in Group T (134.1 ± 1.5 to 138.8 ± 3.2 mEq/L, 3.3 ± 0.3 to 3.7 ± 0.5 g/dL, 16.4 ± 3.6 to 19.7 ± 4.2 mm, all p <0.05). The duration of IV loop diuretics tended to be shorter in Group T than Group L (5.6 ± 1.6 vs. 8.7 ± 3.6 days, p = 0.051).ConclusionsAdministration of tolvaptan in patients undergoing cardiac surgery may improve their renal perfusion, as reflected by the renal RI measured using renal Doppler ultrasound.

Background and Aim of the Study: Ischemic mitral valve regurgitation (IMR) in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is associated with worse long-term outcomes. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of mitral valve repair with CABG in patients with moderate IMR. Method: This observational study enrolled 3,215 consecutive patients from the Juntendo CABG registry with moderate IMR and multivessel coronary artery disease who underwent CABG between 2002 and 2017. The CABG alone and CABG with mitral valve surgery (MVs) groups were compared. The propensity score was calculated for each patient. Long-term all-cause death, cardiac death, and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) were compared between the two groups. Results: A total of 101 patients who underwent CABG had moderate IMR in our database. Propensity score matching selected 40 pairs for final analysis. MVs was associated with increased risks of postoperative atrial fibrillation, blood transfusion, and longer hospitalization. There were no differences between the two groups in long-term outcomes, including all-cause mortality, cardiac mortality, and the incidence of MACCEs. Conclusions: Surgical treatment of moderate IMR combined with CABG was as safe as CABG alone, with no differences in long-term outcomes. Further studies are needed to determine the effects of MVs in patients with moderate IMR and severe coronary artery disease.

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