Factors involved in initiation and regulation of complement lectin pathway influence postoperative outcome after pediatric cardiac surgery involving cardiopulmonary bypass

Congenital heart disease (CHD) often requires surgical intervention, and is sometimes associated with life-threatening post-operative complications. We have investigated some factors of the innate immune system involved in the initiation or regulation of complement lectin pathway activation (MASP-1, MASP-2 MASP-3, MAp19, MAp44, ficolin-3) and related them to complications and prognosis in 190 pediatric patients undergoing CHD repair with the use of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Patients with MAp44 levels ≤1.81 µg/ml more frequently experienced low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS), renal insufficiency, systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and multiorgan dysfunction (MODS). Low MASP-3 (≤5.18 µg/ml) and high MASP-1 (≥11.7 µg/ml) levels were often associated with fatal outcome. Low ficolin-3 concentrations (≤10.1 µg/ml) were more common among patients experiencing SIRS and MODS than in those without complications. However, patients suffering from SIRS and MODS with low ficolin-3 had a much better prognosis (91% survival vs. 37% among other patients; p = 0.007). A discriminating value of 12.7 µg/ml ficolin-3 yielded 8% vs. 60% mortality (p = 0.001). Our data extend the knowledge concerning involvement of proteins of the lectin pathway in development of post-CPB complications. The potential prognostic value of low preoperative MAp44 and high preoperative ficolin-3 seems promising and warrants independent confirmation.