The effect of ‘renal-dose’ dopamine on renal tubular function following cardiac surgery: assessed by measuring retinol binding protein (RBP)1

Abstract

Dopamine given at 'renal-dose' appears to offer no renal protection in patients with normal heart and kidney functions undergoing elective coronary surgery. On the contrary, it exacerbates the severity of renal tubular injury during the early postoperative period. Based on these findings we do not recommend the use of dopamine for routine renal prophylaxis in this group of patients.