Relation between antithrombin-III activity and activated clotting time for cardiopulmonary bypass

Heparin resistance (HR) is observed before cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), despite with normal antithrombin III (AT-III) levels. The relationships between preoperative AT-III activity and activated clotting time (ACT) after the first heparin dose should be clarified. We retrospectively analyzed the data of 818 patients who underwent CPB surgery, with the initial heparin of 300, 400, and 500 IU/kg, between 2017 and 2021. We defined HR as the failure to achieve ACT after the initial heparin dose (Post ACT) of > 480 s.There were no significant correlations between the AT-III activity and Post ACT in all patients, including 143 patients with AT-III activity < 80% and 675 patients with AT-III activity of ≥ 80%. Also, there were no significant correlations between the AT-III activity and Post ACT in 74 patients who received heparin of 300 IU/kg, in 186 patients with 400 IU/kg, and in 339 patients with 500 IU/kg. After identifying smoking, HR, activated partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen degradation products (FDP), and ACT as influencing factors, multiple comparisons using the Steel–Dwass test showed significant difference in FDP and HR among the patients who received heparin of 300 IU/kg, 400 IU/kg, and 500 IU/kg. There is no association between preoperative AT-III activity and ACT after the first heparin administration for CPB, even in different dose of heparin. Rather, the higher the initial UFH dose is, the higher ACT may be, regardless of the AT-III activity.