Neuron-specific enolase levels immediately following cardiovascular surgery is modulated by hemolysis due to cardiopulmonary bypass, making it unsuitable as a brain damage biomarker

Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) is one of the biomarkers used as an indicator of brain disorder, but since it is also found in blood cell components, there is a concern that a spurious increase in NSE may occur after cardiovascular surgery, where cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) causes hemolysis. In the present study, we investigated the relationship between the degree of hemolysis and NSE after cardiovascular surgery and the usefulness of immediate postoperative NSE values in the diagnosis of brain disorder. A retrospective study of 198 patients who underwent surgery with CPB in the period from May 2019 to May 2021 was conducted. Postoperative NSE levels and Free hemoglobin (F-Hb) levels were compared in both groups. In addition, to verify the relationship between hemolysis and NSE, we examined the correlation between F-Hb levels and NSE levels. We also examined whether different surgical procedures could produce an association between hemolysis and NSE. Among 198 patients, 20 had postoperative stroke (Group S) and 178 had no postoperative stroke (Group U). There was no significant difference in postoperative NSE levels and F-Hb levels between Group S and Group U (p = 0.264, p = 0.064 respectively). F-Hb and NSE were weakly correlated (r = 0.29. p < 0.01). In conclusion, NSE level immediately after cardiac surgery with CPB is modified by hemolysis rather than brain injury, therefore it would be unreliable as a biomarker of brain disorder.