Document Detail


Cardiac arrests associated with hyperkalemia during red blood cell transfusion: a case series.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  18349174     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
BACKGROUND: Transfusion-associated hyperkalemic cardiac arrest is a serious complication of rapid red blood cell (RBC) administration. We examined the clinical scenarios and outcomes of patients who developed hyperkalemia and cardiac arrest during rapid RBC transfusion. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the Mayo Clinic Anesthesia Database between November 1, 1988, and December 31, 2006, for all patients who developed intraoperative transfusion-associated hyperkalemic cardiac arrest. RESULTS: We identified 16 patients with transfusion-associated hyperkalemic cardiac arrest, 11 adult and 5 pediatric. The majority of patients underwent three types of surgery: cancer, major vascular, and trauma. The mean serum potassium concentration measured during cardiac arrest was 7.2 +/- 1.4 mEq/L (range, 5.9-9.2 mEq/L). The number of RBC units administered before cardiac arrest ranged between 1 (in a 2.7 kg neonate) and 54. Nearly all patients were acidotic, hyperglycemic, hypocalcemic, and hypothermic at the time of arrest. Fourteen (87.5%) patients received RBC via central venous access. Commercial rapid infusion devices (pumps) were used in 8 of 11 (72.7%) of the adult patients, but RBC units were rapidly administered (pressure bags, syringe pumped) in all remaining patients. Mean resuscitation duration was 32 min (range, 2-127 min). The in-hospital survival rate was 12.5%. CONCLUSION: The pathogenesis of transfusion-associated hyperkalemic cardiac arrest is multifactorial and potassium increase from RBC administration is complicated by low cardiac output, acidosis, hyperglycemia, hypocalcemia, and hypothermia. Large transfusion of banked RBCs and conditions associated with massive hemorrhage should raise awareness of the potential for hyperkalemia and trigger preventative measures.
Authors:
Hugh M Smith; Stacy J Farrow; Joel D Ackerman; James R Stubbs; Juraj Sprung
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Anesthesia and analgesia     Volume:  106     ISSN:  1526-7598     ISO Abbreviation:  Anesth. Analg.     Publication Date:  2008 Apr 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2008-03-19     Completed Date:  2008-04-25     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  1310650     Medline TA:  Anesth Analg     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  1062-9, table of contents     Citation Subset:  AIM; IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adult
Child
Electrocardiography
Erythrocyte Transfusion / adverse effects*,  methods
Heart Arrest / etiology*,  mortality
Humans
Hyperkalemia / complications,  etiology*
Intraoperative Complications / therapy*
Potassium / blood
Retrospective Studies
Surgical Procedures, Operative / classification
Survival Analysis
Survivors
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
7440-09-7/Potassium

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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