Comparable prognosis in different neonatal histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate dosage management

Background: Histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) is a solution commonly used for organ transplantation. However, there is no certified fixed regimen for on-pump heart surgery in neonates. We aimed to retrospectively evaluate the outcomes related to different HTK dosages and to analyze the safety of high-dosage perfusion. Methods: A total of 146 neonates who underwent on-pump heart surgery with single-shot HTK perfusion were divided into two groups according to HTK dosages: a standard-dose (SD) group (n = 63, 40 mL/kg < HTK <= 60 mL/kg) and a high-dose (HD) group (n = 83, HTK >60 mL/kg). Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to control confounding bias. Results: The SD group had a higher weight (3.7 +/- 0.4 vs. 3.4 +/- 0.4 kg, P < 0.0001), a lower proportion of complete transposition of the great artery (69.8% vs. 85.5%, P = 0.022), a lower cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time (123.5 [108.0, 136.0] vs. 132.5 [114.8, 152.5] min, P = 0.034), and a lower aortic x-clamp time (82.9 +/- 27.1 vs. 95.5 +/- 26.0 min, P = 0.005). After PSM, 44 patients were assigned to each group; baseline characteristics and CPB parameters between the two groups were comparable. There were no significant differences in peri-CPB blood product consumption after PSM (P > 0.05). The incidences of post-operative complications were not significantly different between the two groups. There were no significant differences in ventilation time, intensive care unit stay, and post-operative hospital stay (P > 0.05). Follow-up echocardiography outcomes at 1 month, 3 to 6 months, and 1 year showed that left ventricular ejection fraction and end-diastolic dimension were comparable between the two groups. Conclusions: In neonatal on-pump cardiac surgery patients, single-shot HD (>60 mL/kg) HTK perfusion had a comparable heart protection effect and short-term post-operative prognosis as standard dosage perfusion of 40 to 60 mL/kg. Thus, this study provides supporting evidence of the safety of HD HTK perfusion.