Effect of Prophylactic Levosimendan on All-Cause Mortality in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery-An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Hongbai Wang; Qipeng Luo; Yinan Li; Liang Zhang; Xie Wu; Fuxia Yan

doi:10.3389/fped.2020.00456

Effect of Prophylactic Levosimendan on All-Cause Mortality in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery-An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Front Pediatr. 2020 Aug 14:8:456. doi: 10.3389/fped.2020.00456. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Hongbai Wang¹, Qipeng Luo¹, Yinan Li¹, Liang Zhang², Xie Wu¹, Fuxia Yan¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anesthesiology, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
² Department of Anesthesiology, Chongqing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Chongqing, China.

Abstract

Background: Levosimendan, a calcium sensitizer, enhances the myocardial function by generating more energy-efficient myocardial contractility than that achieved through adrenergic stimulation with catecholamines. We conducted this meta-analysis to primarily investigate the effects of levosimendan on all-cause mortality in pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass. Methods: The databases of Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched till 21st March 2020. The eligible criteria were participants with age<18 year and undergoing cardiac surgery for congenital heart disease (CHD), and studies of comparison between levosimendan and placebo or other inotropes. Stata version 12.0 was used to perform statistical analyses. Results: Six randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 1 case-control trial (CCT) including 436 patients were included. The results showed that levosimendan did not significantly decrease all-cause mortality compared with control drugs (and placebo) in children undergoing cardiac surgery (P = 0.403). Perioperative prophylactic levosimendan administration strikingly decreased the low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS) incidence (P = 0.016) but did not significantly reduce acute kidney injury (AKI) incidence (P = 0.251) and shorten mechanical ventilation and ICU stay time compared with other inotropes and placebo by analyzing the included literatures [mechanical ventilation (or intubation) time: P = 0.188; ICU stay time: P = 0.620]. Conclusions: Compared with other inotropes and placebo, perioperative prophylactic administration of levosimendan did not decrease the rates of mortality and AKI and shorten the time of mechanical ventilation (or intubation) and ICU stay but demonstrated a significant reduction in LCOS incidence after corrective surgery in pediatric patients for CHD. Due to limited number of included studies, the current data were insufficient to make the conclusions.

Keywords: cardiac surgery; levosimendan; low cardiac output syndrome; mortality; pediatrics.

Publication types

Systematic Review