Fenoldopam for renal protection in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass

Objective: To evaluate the possible protective effects of fenoldopam on renal function in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass. Design: Prospective, randomized trial. Setting: University teaching hospital. Participants: One hundred sixty consecutive patients with serum creatinine >1.5 mg/dL who underwent uncomplicated moderate hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass for cardiac surgery. Interventions: A random group of 80 patients was managed conventionally (group A), whereas another random group of 80 patients received continuous intravenous administration of low-dose fenoldopam (0.1–0.3 μg/kg/min) during cardiopulmonary bypass and in the early postoperative period (group B). Measurements and main results: An improvement of postoperative renal parameters were observed only in group B: preoperative serum creatinine 1.82 ± 0.2 versus 1.43 ± 0.73 postoperatively ( p < 0.001), preoperative creatinine clearance 51.34 ± 22.26 versus 67.14 ± 18.55 postoperatively ( p < 0.001). Conclusions: In this study, fenoldopam was an effective agent in the prevention of renal dysfunction after cardiopulmonary bypass.