Hemodynamic, Respiratory, and Metabolic Effects of Medium-Chain Triglyceride-enriched Lipid Emulsions Following Valvular Heart Surgery

¹ From Istituto di Clinica Medica e Nefrologia, Universita' di Parma, Parma, Italy
² From 1 Servizio di Anestesia e Rianimazione, Parma, Italy
³ From Cattedra e Divisione di Cardiochirurgia, Universita' di Parma, Parma, Italy
⁴ From Cattedra e Divisione di Malattie del Ricambio, Universita' di Padova, Padova, Italy

Study: A lipid emulsion containing 10 percent mediumchain triglycerides (MCT) and 10 percent long-chain triglycerides (LCT) was infused at a rate of 1 ml/kg/h (3.3 mg/kg/min) for 2 h, in 12 patients (2 males, 10 females; mean age, 54±3 (SEM) years; range, 34 to 67 years) 24 h after open-heart surgery (mitral valve replacement).

Methods: Hemodynamic factors (pulmonary and radial artery indwelling catheters), oxygen and carbon dioxide partial pressures, oxygen saturation, oxygen delivery and consumption, and intrapulmonary shunt fraction were obtained before, during, and after lipid infusion (for 2 h), at 30-s intervals, along with some metabolic indexes (triglycerides, free fatty acids, glucose, insulin, lactate, acetoacetate).

Results: No statistically significant changes in heart rate, cardiac index, systemic and pulmonary pressures and resistances, central venous and pulmonary capillary pressures, or arterial oxygen partial pressure were observed during infusion. Arterial carbon dioxide partial pressure values were constantly reduced throughout and after the end of lipid infusion, as compared with baseline values, while oxygen consumption was increased significantly without any change in oxygen delivery. No adverse effects on intrapulmonary shunt fraction were observed. Statistically significant increases of triglycerides, free fatty acids, acetoacetate and insulin (peak values at end of the lipid infusion) were found in comparison with baseline values. Plasma glucose increased significantly during lipid infusion and remained higher than baseline values until the end of the study. Lactate levels were unchanged, except for a slight decrease at the end of the study, without any derangement of acid-base equilibrium. Neither arrhythmias nor adverse clinical reactions were observed as a consequence of lipid infusion.

Conclusion: Fat emulsions containing both MCT and LCT, when given at 3.3 mg/kg/min for 120 min following valvular heart surgery, do not exert negative cardiopulmonary effects, and could represent a source of rapidly metabolized substrates.

Key Words: hemodynamics • lipid emulsions • lipid metabolism • medium-chain triglycerides • pulmonary circulation • pulmonary gas exchange

Submitted on March 7, 1994

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