Furosemide versus ethacrynic acid in pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery: a randomized controlled trial

• Published in: Critical care (London, England) England), 2015-01, Vol.19 (1), p.2-2, Article 2
• Main Authors: Ricci, Zaccaria, Haiberger, Roberta, Pezzella, Chiara, Garisto, Cristiana, Favia, Isabella, Cogo, Paola
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carbonates; Cardiac patients; Cardiac Surgical Procedures - methods; Care and treatment; Children; Comparative analysis; Congenital diseases; Congenital heart disease; Critical care; Diuretics; Diuretics - therapeutic use; Double-Blind Method; Ethacrynic acid; Ethacrynic Acid - therapeutic use; Evidence-based medicine; Female; Furosemide; Furosemide - therapeutic use; Genetic disorders; Health aspects; Heart Defects, Congenital - surgery; Heart diseases; Heart surgery; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infants; Intention to Treat Analysis; Kidney - drug effects; Kidney - physiology; Male; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; Mortality; Pediatrics; Postoperative Period; Prognosis; Prospective Studies; Surgery; Urine
• ISSN: 1364-8535; 1466-609X; 1364-8535; 1366-609X
• DOI: 10.1186/s13054-014-0724-5

Clinical effects of furosemide (F) and ethacrynic acid (EA) continuous infusion on urine output (UO), fluid balance, and renal, cardiac, respiratory, and metabolic function were compared in infants undergoing surgery for congenital heart diseases. A prospective randomized double-blinded study was conducted. Patients received 0.2 mg/kg/h (up to 0.8 mg/kg/h) of either F or EA. In total, 38 patients were enrolled in the F group, and 36, in the EA group. No adverse reactions were recorded. UO at postoperative day (POD) 0 was significantly higher in the EA group, 6.9 (3.3) ml/kg/h, compared with the F group, 4.6 (2.3) ml/kg/h (P = 0.002) but tended to be similar in the two groups thereafter. Mean administered F dose was 0.33 (0.19) mg/kg/h compared with 0.22 (0.13) mg/kg/h of EA (P