Safety and efficacy of albumin for pump priming in cardiac surgery: a meta-analysis

• Published in: Journal of cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesia 2024-02, Vol.38 (2), p.517-525
• Main Authors: Yin, Jing, Sun, Meng, Zeng, Yongfen, Cai, Meng, Liu, Hongjun, Jin, Yi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: albumin; cardiac surgery; cardiopulmonary bypass; crystalloids; pump priming
• ISSN: 1053-0770; 1532-8422
• DOI: 10.1053/j.jvca.2023.10.008

To assess the efficacy and safety of albumin as pump priming fluid in cardiac surgery. Meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Each study was carried out in a surgical center or intensive care unit. Adult and pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass who received circuit priming fluids. Extracorporeal circuit priming with either albumin or crystalloid. Fourteen eligible randomised controlled trials with 741 patients were included in the present meta-analysis. Albumin prime had lower bleeding (confidence interval [CI], -202.20 to -142.88 ml, p < 0.00001) and showed greater advantage in preserving platelet counts (CI, 14.85 to 21.48×103 mm−3, p < 0.00001), maintaining colloid osmotic pressure, sustaining negative fluid balance. No significant differences were found in the remaining study outcomes. Albumin was shown to be safe and efficacious in extracorporeal circulation perfusion. However, its clinical advantages were not clearly highlighted as there was no significant difference in the number of deaths, length of hospital stay, or ICU duration. The results should be interpreted with caution as most included studies were small-scale and the total number of participants was limited.