Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease
Association of the Vasoactive-Inotropic Score with Postoperative Intensive Care Unit Stay Following Arterial Switch Operation
By Duygu Besnili Acar, Burcu Çevlik, Ahmet Saki Oğuz and 7 others.
Abstract
Introduction
Transposition of the great arteries (TGA) is one of the most common cyanotic congenital heart diseases in the neonatal period, and arterial switch operation (ASO) is the standard surgical treatment. Postoperative low cardiac output syndrome remains an important cause of morbidity. This study evaluated the association between serial vasoactive–inotropic score (VIS) measurements and postoperative intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay in neonates with TGA undergoing ASO.
Methods
This retrospective study included neonates with TGA who underwent ASO and were followed in a tertiary Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit between 1 August 2020, and 1 August 2022. ICU length of stay was analyzed as a continuous primary outcome. Prolonged ICU stay, defined as the upper quartile of ICU length of stay in the study cohort (≥9 days), was evaluated as a secondary exploratory outcome. VIS values were recorded at ICU admission and at 24, 48, and 72 h after surgery. Associations between VIS parameters and continuous ICU length of stay were assessed using Spearman’s rank correlation. ROC analysis and logistic regression were performed for prolonged ICU stay.