BackgroundThe authors hypothesized that patients with cerebrovascular abnormalities or metabolic disorders may experience abnormality in cerebral circulation more frequently than patients without these risks. The current study attempted to assess jugular venous bulb oxygen saturation (SjvO2) in patients with preexisting diabetes mellitus or stroke undergoing normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass.MethodsThirty-nine patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass graft surgery were studied, including 19 age-matched control patients, 10 diabetic patients, and 9 patients with preexisting stroke A 4.0-French fiberoptic oximetry oxygen saturation catheter was inserted into the right jugular bulb to continuously monitor internal SjvO2. Hemodynamic parameters and arterial and jugular venous blood gases were measured at seven time points: (1) after the induction of anesthesia and before the start of surgery, (2) just after the beginning of cardiopulmonary bypass, (3) 20 min after the beginning of bypass, (4) 40 min after the beginning of bypass, (5) 60 min after the beginning of bypass, (6) just after the cessation of bypass, and (7) at the end of the operation.ResultsNo significant differences were seen in mean arterial pressure, arterial carbon dioxide tension (PaCO2), or hemoglobin concentration among the three groups during the study. The SjvO2value did not differ among the three groups after anesthesia induction and before surgery, just after the beginning of cardiopulmonary bypass, 60 min after the beginning of bypass, just after the end of bypass, or at the end of the operation. Significant differences between the control group and the diabetic and stroke groups were observed, however, at 20 min and 40 min after the beginning of bypass (at 20 min: control group 62.2 ± 6.8%, diabetes group 48.4 ± 5.1%, stroke group 45.9 ± 6.3%; at 40 min: control group 62.6 ± 5.2%, diabetes group 47.1 ± 5.2%, stroke group 48.8 ± 4.1% [values expressed as the mean ± SD];P< 0.05). Also, values in the diabetes and stroke groups were decreased at 20 min and 40 min after the beginning of bypass compared with before the start of surgery.ConclusionsA reduced SjvO2value was observed more frequently in patients with preexisting diabetes mellitus or stroke during normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass. It is possible that cerebral circulation during normothermic bypass is altered in patients with risk factors for cerebrovascular disorder.