Identification of Low Cardiac Output Syndrome at the Bedside: A Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit Survey

Abstract

BACKGROUND Low cardiac output syndrome is a transient constellation of signs and symptoms that indicate the heart’s inability to supply sufficient oxygen to tissues and end-organs to meet metabolic demand. Because the term lacks a standard clinical definition, the bedside diagnosis of this syndrome can be difficult. OBJECTIVE To evaluate concordance among pediatric cardiac intensive care unit nurses in their identification of low cardiac output syndrome in pediatric patients after cardiac surgery. METHODS An anonymous survey was distributed to 69 pediatric cardiac intensive care unit nurses. The survey described 10 randomly selected patients aged 6 months or younger who had undergone corrective or palliative cardiac surgery at a freestanding children’s hospital in a tertiary academic center. For each patient, data were presented corresponding to 5 time points (0, 6, 12, 18, and 24 hours postoperatively). The respondent was asked to indicate whether the patient had low cardiac output syndrome (yes or no) at each time point on the basis of the data presented. RESULTS The response rate was 46% (32 of 69 nurses). The overall Fleiss k value was 0.30, indicating fair agreement among raters. When the results were analyzed by years of experience, agreement remained only slight to fair. CONCLUSIONS Regardless of years of experience, nurses have difficulty agreeing on the presence of low cardiac output syndrome. Further research is needed to determine whether the development of objective guidelines could improve recognition and facilitate communication between the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit nurse and the medical team.

Association of perfusate oxygenation with cardiovascular disorder in tetralogy of fallot children: A nested case–control study

“…Or perhaps these could be explained by that patient receiving transannular patch likely has higher clinical risk factors like lower SpO2, so the statistical significance of which in relation to cardiovascular disorder might be unfortunately overshadowed by more significant covariates. 23 Our study has some potential limitations. Previous studies have suggested that altered transcriptomic regulation with regard to the development and progression of cardiovascular disorder in tetralogy of Fallot.…”

“…However, compared with other studies, our study did not observe any correlation between the presence of transannular patch and cardiovascular disorder. Or perhaps these could be explained by that patient receiving transannular patch likely has higher clinical risk factors like lower SpO2, so the statistical significance of which in relation to cardiovascular disorder might be unfortunately overshadowed by more significant covariates 23 …”

Analysis of risk factors of low cardiac output syndrome after congenital heart disease operation: what can we do

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Effect of cardiopulmonary bypass reoxygenation on myocardial dysfunction following pediatric tetralogy of Fallot repair

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