Impact of noradrenaline infusion set on mean arterial pressure: A retrospective clinical study

Objectives

Noradrenaline (NA) can be infused through various systems including single or double syringe pumps. The aim of this study was to define the best and most efficient infusion system in an emergency context.

Study design

This was a retrospective clinical study based on the analysis of patients’ hemodynamic data.

Patients and method

Three infusion lines used presently in our postoperative ICU were compared through a retrospective clinical study: an NA syringe pump at 2 mL/h and a saline carrier solution syringe pump at 8 mL/h (infusion system 1- IS1) or 5 mL/h (IS2), both connected to a very low dead-space volume set (V = 0.046 mL); IS3 with the same NA syringe at 2 mL/h directly connected to the central venous catheter. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) was obtained from retrospective data analysis of ICU patients with postoperative septic shock criteria. Infusion systems were compared according to the time required to reach an MAP greater than 65 mmHg after the onset of infusion.

Results

Data from 37 patients was analysed. The MAP objective was attained in 14:00 minutes (9:20 – 26:10, n = 15) with IS1, in 19:10 minutes (12:20 – 27:20, n = 13) with IS2 and in 34:10 minutes (23:10 – 62:30, n = 9) with IS3 (P = 0.00032).

Conclusion

The use of a double syringe pump system associated with a very low dead-space volume infusion set appears to be the most appropriate system for NA infusion.