Medical study: Targeted therapy does not reduce complications of major abdominal surgeries

An international clinical trial showed that guiding treatment during major abdominal surgeries according to each patient's cardiac index did not lead to a statistically significant reduction in post-surgery complications compared to standard treatment, among patients at highest risk.

According to a study published in the medical journal "JAMA" day before yesterday, titled "Cardiac Index-Guided Therapy in High-Risk Patients Undergoing Major Abdominal Surgery: The Pelican Randomized Trial," the research was led by Dr. Bernd Saugel from the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf in Germany, with participation from researchers at 12 university centers in Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, and Spain.

The trial included 1,128 patients who underwent elective major abdominal surgeries, with 1,095 of them included in the primary outcome analysis. Researchers divided participants into two groups: the first received treatment guided by each patient's specific cardiac index, while the second received standard treatment.

The results showed that major composite complications occurred in 44.3 percent of patients in the targeted therapy group, compared to 46.9 percent in the standard treatment group, with the difference between the two groups not reaching statistical significance. These complications included acute kidney injury, myocardial injury, severe septic complications, and non-fatal cardiac arrest.

The cardiac index is defined as the amount of blood the heart pumps per minute relative to body surface area. It is used to assess circulatory performance and the adequacy of blood flow to body tissues. The study tested whether guiding treatment to achieve a target value for this index, according to each patient's needs, could improve post-surgery outcomes.

The results indicate that cardiac index-guided therapy did not achieve a statistically significant reduction in major complications among patients included in the trial, despite recording a lower rate of complications in this group compared to the standard treatment group.

The study highlights the importance of subjecting new therapeutic approaches to evaluation through randomized clinical trials to verify their efficacy and safety before widespread adoption in medical practice.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)