1.
The efficacy of early postoperative enteral immunonutrition on T-lymphocyte count: A randomised control study in low-risk cardiac surgery patients.
Svetikiene, M, Ringaitiene, D, Vezeliene, J, Isajevas, V, Trybe, D, Vicka, V, Malickaite, R, Jurgauskiene, L, Norkuniene, J, Serpytis, M, et al
Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland). 2021;(2):372-379
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients undergoing cardiac surgery have a pronounced immune response that leads to a reduction in cellular immunity. Immune-modulating nutritional supplements are considered to be beneficial for patients undergoing major surgery. However, due to the lack of studies in the cardiac surgery population, the effect of immunonutrition remains unclear in this patient group. OBJECTIVE Our purpose was to research the efficacy of early postoperative enteral immunonutrition on T-lymphocyte count in the cardiac surgery population. METHODS This was a randomised control study of low operative risk adult patients, who underwent elective cardiac surgery. These patients were randomised into immunonutrition and control groups. The immunonutrition group was supplemented with immune nutrients for five postoperative days. The counts of T-lymphocytes, as well as the counts for the CD4+ and CD8+ cell subpopulations were determined on the day of surgery and on the sixth postoperative day. RESULTS Fifty-five patients were enrolled in the study, the mean age was 69.7 ± 6.3 years, 28 (50.9%) of them were males, the median operative risk was 1.75%. Twenty-seven (49.1%) were randomised into the immunonutrition group. The control and the immunonutrition groups were similar before the intervention. The counts of the CD3+ T cells and CD4+ T cells on the sixth postoperative day were significantly higher in the immunonutrition group compared to the control group with 1.42 ± 0.49 vs. 1.12 ± 0.56 (∗109/l), p = 0.035 and 1.02 ± 0.36 vs. 0.80 ± 0.43 (∗109/l), p = 0.048, respectively. Regression analysis was performed to determine the efficacy of the immunonutrition on the counts of the CD3+ and CD4+ T cells; CD3+ T and CD4+ T cell counts were increased to 0.264 (∗109/l), p = 0.039 and 0.232 (∗109/l), p = 0.021, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Early postoperative immunonutrition increases the count of the CD3+ and CD4+ T cells in cardiac surgical patients. Clinical trials identifier number: NCT04047095.
2.
Preadmission interventions to prevent postoperative complications in older cardiac surgery patients: a systematic review.
Ettema, RG, Van Koeven, H, Peelen, LM, Kalkman, CJ, Schuurmans, MJ
International journal of nursing studies. 2014;(2):251-60
Abstract
OBJECTIVE(S): The literature on postoperative complications in cardiac surgery patients shows high incidences of postoperative complications such as delirium, depression, pressure ulcer, infection, pulmonary complications and atrial fibrillation. These complications are associated with functional and cognitive decline and a decrease in the quality of life after discharge. Several studies attempted to prevent one or more postoperative complications by preoperative interventions. Here we provide a comprehensive overview of both single and multiple component preadmission interventions designed to prevent postoperative complications. METHODS We systematically reviewed the literature following the PRISMA statement guidelines. RESULTS Of 1335 initial citations, 31 were subjected to critical appraisal. Finally, 23 studies were included, of which we derived a list of interventions that can be applied in the preadmission period to effectively reduce postoperative depression, infection, pulmonary complications, atrial fibrillation, prolonged intensive care unit stay and hospital stay in older elective cardiac surgery patients. No high quality studies were found describing effective interventions to prevent postoperative delirium. We did not find studies specifically targeting the prevention of pressure ulcers in this patient population. CONCLUSIONS Multi-component approaches that include different single interventions have the strongest effect in preventing postoperative depression, pulmonary complications, prolonged intensive care unit stay and hospital stay. Postoperative infection can be best prevented by disinfection with chlorhexidine combined with immune-enhancing nutritional supplements. Atrial fibrillation might be prevented by ingestion of N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. High quality studies are urgently needed to evaluate preadmission preventive strategies to reduce postoperative delirium or pressure ulcers in older elective cardiac surgery patients.