Dexamethasone for Cardiac Surgery Trial

Dexamethasone for Cardiac Surgery Trial

This is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind trial, comparing clinical outcomes after the administration of high-dose dexamethasone versus placebo in patients undergoing heart surgery with the use of cardiopulmonary bypass. The primary endpoint is the occurrence of major complications (including all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke, renal failure, and prolonged mechanical ventilation) in the first 30 days after surgery.

Inclusion Criteria:

• All types of cardiac surgery in which cardiopulmonary bypass is used

Exclusion Criteria:

• Age under 18 years
• Life-expectancy < 6 months
• Emergency operations
• Re-operations within the same admission