BACKGROUND 

Heparin-associated coagulation disorder is an important factor related to postoperative bleeding in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Currently, the relationship between heparin sensitivity and postoperative bleeding is unknown.

OBJECTIVE 

To investigate the relationship between individual heparin sensitivity and postoperative blood loss in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

DESIGN 

Prospective controlled study.

SETTING 

Tertiary teaching hospital, Urumqi, Xinjiang, PR China. The study was conducted from January 2016 to August 2018.

PATIENTS 

A total of 195 adult patients undergoing cardiac valve replacement surgery were included.

INTERVENTION 

After initial heparin dosing (2.5 mg kg⁻¹), patients were divided into three groups according to the whole blood activated clotting time (ACT): group A, insensitive group (ACT < 480 s); group B, sensitive group (480 s < ACT < 750 s); group C, hypersensitive group (ACT > 750 s).