Effect of Cardioplegia for Myocardial Protection in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery: A Network Meta-Analysis

Cardioplegia has been widely used to reduce myocardial injury during pediatric cardiac surgery; however, which cardioplegia solution has the best protective effect has not been established. Thus, we compared the myocardial protective effects of different cardioplegia solutions used in pediatric cardiac surgery. Seven databases were searched to identify the relevant randomized controlled trials. A network meta-analysis with a Bayesian framework was conducted. The outcomes included the following biochemical and clinical outcomes: serum concentrations of the creatine kinase-myocardial band at 6 h postoperatively; cardiac troponin I (cTnI) at 4, 12, and 24 h postoperatively; spontaneous beating after declamping; postoperative arrhythmias; inotropic support percentage and duration; mechanical ventilation hours; intensive care unit stay in days; hospital stay in days; and mortality. The group treated with cold crystalloid cardioplegia (cCCP) was chosen as the control group. The 22 studies involved 1529 patients. Six types of cardioplegia solutions were described in these studies, including cold blood cardioplegia, cCCP, del Nido, histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK), terminal warm blood cardioplegia, and warm blood cardioplegia (wBCP). The serum concentrations of the 24-h cTnI with wBCP (MD = -2.52, 95% CI: -4.74 to -0.27) was significantly lower than cCCP. The serum concentrations of the 24-h cTnI with HTK (MD = 4.91, 95% CI: 2.84-7.24) was significantly higher than cCCP. There was no significant difference in other biochemical and clinical outcomes when compared to cCCP. In conclusion, wBCP may have a superior myocardial protective effect with lower 24-h cTnI levels postoperatively and similar clinical outcomes after pediatric cardiac surgery.