ENOXIMONE AND WARMING AFTER HYPOTHERMIC CARDIOPULMONARY BYPASS

In a randomized, controlled study of 24 patients undergoing myocardial revascularization, we found that enoximone 0.5 mg kg(-1) i.v., follow ed by 5 mu g kg(-1) min(-1), when rewarming after hypothermic cardiopu lmonary bypass, prevented subsequent cooling of the periphery after tr ansfer to the intensive care unit. Skin surface temperatures on the fo ot increased by mean 0.33 (so 0.5) degrees C h(-1) in the enoximone gr oup, but decreased by 0.43 (0.4) degrees C h(-1) in the control group until core temperature had increased to 37 degrees C (P < 0.001); only then did peripheral temperatures begin to increase in the control gro up. Enoximone did not merely redistribute heat from the core to the pe riphery. The capacity to transfer heat by the circulation rather than the ability to generate heat in the core appeared to limit body warmin g in the ICU after hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass.