Comparison of the Renoprotective Effect of Dexmedetomidine and Dopamine in High-risk Renal Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery: A Double-blind Randomized Study

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the current study was to compare the renoprotective effects of continuous infusion of dexmedetomidine and dopamine in high-risk renal patients undergoing cardiac surgery. DESIGN: A double-blind randomized study. SETTING: Cardiac Centers. PATIENTS: One hundred and fifty patients with baseline serum creatinine level ≥1.4 mg/dl were scheduled for cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. INTERVENTION: The patients were classified into two groups (each = 75): Group Dex – the patients received a continuous infusion of dexmedetomidine 0.4 μg/kg/h without loading dose during the procedure and the first 24 postoperative hours and Group Dopa – the patients received a continuous infusion of dopamine 3 μg/kg/min during the procedure and the first 24 postoperative hours. MEASUREMENTS: The monitors included serum creatinine, creatinine clearance, blood urea nitrogen, and urine output. MAIN RESULTS: The creatinine levels and blood urea nitrogen decreased at days 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 in Dex group and increased in patients of Dopa group (P < 0.05). The creatinine clearance increased at days 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 in Dex group and decreased in patients of Dopa group (P < 0.05). The amount of urine output was too much higher in the Dex group than the Dopa group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The continuous infusion of dexmedetomidine during cardiac surgery has a renoprotective effect and decreased the deterioration in the renal function in high-risk renal patients compared to the continuous infusion of dopamine.