Effects of Heart Bypass Surgery on Plasma Aβ40 and Aβ42 Levels in Infants and Young Children

Accumulation of β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques is a pathological hallmark of Alzheimer disease. Aβ levels in animals and adults were reported to be associated with postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). Our goal was to determine the plasma levels of Aβ in infants and young children after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Forty-two infants and young children aged from 1 to 35 months undergoing cardiac surgery with general anesthetics were prospectively enrolled from January to June 2014 at a tertiary medical center. Perioperative plasma samples were obtained, and Aβ42 and Aβ40 levels were measured using ELISA. Other clinical characteristics of the patients were also recorded. Plasma levels of Aβ42 and Aβ40 decreased dramatically 2 hours after surgery and remained significantly lower 6 hours after operation. Baseline Aβ42 level correlated significantly with surgical intensive care unit (SICU) length of stay (LOS) and was an independent predictor for SICU LOS on multivariate analysis. Cardiac surgery with CPB decreases plasma Aβ levels. Plasma levels of Aβ42 and Aβ40 might be used as novel biomarkers for predicting outcomes in the patient population.